Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held an eight-hour marathon meeting with railway officials at Churchgate on Friday, focusing on safety and development projects in Mumbai.
Key decisions included reviving the plan for 238 air-conditioned local trains, assessing the status of the fifth and sixth rail lines, and revamping the signalling system with armor and communication-based train control (CBTC).
Officials from Central Railway (CR), Western Railway (WR), Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), Konkan Railway, Rail Land Development Authority and other railway entities attended the meeting. Vaishnaw emphasised on several key priorities, including increasing Mumbai's suburban rail capacity, enhancing safety measures for long-distance trains, and integrating railway stations with the urban landscape.
Vaishnaw urged officials to expedite the procurement process of 238 air-conditioned local trains for Mumbai, which are part of MUTP-3 and 3A and will run on both Central and Western Railways. The bidding process for these AC locals was put on hold by the MRVC in July last year. Railway officials indicated that the minister has now prioritised acquiring more AC locals for the city.
The progress and future direction of projects like MUTP 3 and 3A, as well as the acquisition of AC EMU rakes, were discussed," a railway official said. The fare structure was also discussed, though details were not shared. Under the tender, 2,856 AC cars are to be procured by 2030 as part of the MUTP.
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