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The move comes in the wake of the tragic Mumbra incident on June 9, in which four passengers lost their lives after falling off a crowded local train
The prototype includes smart safety features. The doors will only open automatically when the red signal light is on. (Screengrab via X)
Mumbai’s iconic suburban trains are set for a major safety upgrade. A prototype of a closed-door local train has been developed and will soon be rolled out for a pilot run, the Railways announced on Friday.
The move comes in the wake of the tragic Mumbra incident on June 9, in which four passengers lost their lives after falling off a crowded local train. In response, the Ministry of Railways committed to revamping local train safety, starting with the introduction of automated doors.
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#WATCH | After the death of passengers in Mumbra after falling from a local train, the Minister of Railways had announced to make close-door locals for Mumbai suburban trains to prevent such incidents. A prototype of a closed-door local is ready now, which will soon be put to a… pic.twitter.com/o3FY8n50v6— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2025
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier said that local trains with automatic doors would begin service from December. “From the point of view of safety of passengers in Mumbai, it is important that the doors of any local train running in Mumbai are closed. Now it has been decided that henceforth all the trains to be built for Mumbai will have door closers,” he said.
Explaining the approach, Vaishnaw added, “We have done three experiments. The first is to retrofit doors in all existing local trains, the second is that all non-AC trains to be manufactured will have closed doors. The AC trains to be manufactured will also have closed doors. It has been decided in principle to have closed doors in all local trains, AC or non-AC.”
The prototype includes smart safety features. The doors will only open automatically when the red signal light is on, ensuring the train is stationary. Moreover, if a passenger stands on the footboard, the doors will not close — a crucial measure to avoid injury.
The new design follows a rising number of accidents on the Mumbai suburban network. According to Maharashtra’s Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, 7,565 passengers have died and 7,293 have been injured in local train-related incidents over the past three years.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also backed the move, stating in June that all coaches in Mumbai’s suburban railway system would eventually be replaced with ones featuring automatic doors.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
October 03, 2025, 22:24 IST
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