The new set will be manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and fitted with India-made electrical and software systems
The air-conditioned (AC) local trains running on Mumbai’s suburban rail network will carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s ambitious 'Make in India ' movement. The new set of such trains will be completely manufactured within the country, as per a Hindustan Times report.
The first, and only, AC local train in Mumbai so far began operation in December 2017. The train operating on the Western line has electrical and software systems made in Germany.
There are plans to introduce more AC trains in the city. However, the new set will be manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and fitted with India-made electrical and software systems.
This planned set of trains will include seven Medha AC local trains and 12 Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) AC local trains to run on stretches of Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR), the report suggests.
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The ICF has already started working on 12 AC as well as partial AC local trains, said the report, quoting a senior WR official. It has floated tenders for 12 such trains and aims to roll them out by March 2019.
These rains will include powerful electrical systems, better interior design, proper AC systems and better automatic door closure, said a senior ICF official. Besides, they will be installed with LED lighting to reduce energy consumption.
Despite these features, the domestically manufactured rakes are expected to be cheaper than its existing counterparts as it will be fitted with systems and parts produced under the 'Make in India' initiative.