Central Railway (CR) is planning to introduce the city’s first non AC local train fitted with automatic closed doors on the CSMT-Kalyan corridor as its pilot route.
This development came seven months after the deadly Mumbra accident in June 2025, which led to five deaths and eight others being injured after people standing near open doors fell from two overcrowded trains going in opposite directions during peak hours.
With this initiative, the railways aim to reduce such incidents due to overcrowding.
As per Mumbai Mirror, the final timetable is still being fine-tuned. Moreover, the railway officials are aiming to prioritise services on peak-hour services, where the risk is highest.
The CSMT-Kalyan route is among the most overcrowded stretches on Mumbai’s rail map. Therefore, existing rakes on this stretch will be replaced with closed-door non-AC trains.
As of now, no date has been set for the debut of the automatic closed doors. Earlier, Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar had stated that non-AC trains with automatic closing doors will start by the end of 2025.
The prototypes are being manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. The pilot run and subsequent feedback would determine the future rollout.
Addressing concerns about ventilation, railway officials said air circulation will not be an issue as the inter-coach gangways are expected to improve airflow and help redistribute crowds – even during crush-load peak hours.
The coaches will be fully interconnected, similar to AC locals, allowing free movement of passengers and airflow throughout the train.
Also Read: HC: Standing at Train Doors During Rush Hour Is Not Negligence
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