Now Reading: Mumbai to get 238 AC locals faster as MRVC drops tender, uses railway factories
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Mumbai to get 238 AC locals faster as MRVC drops tender, uses railway factories
Mumbai to get 238 AC locals faster as MRVC drops tender, uses railway factories
Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has junked the Rs 21,646-crore tender floated in September 2025 for 238 AC local train rakes. Instead, it will manufacture them simultaneously at three railway factories: Integral…
The Story in Brief
Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has junked the Rs 21,646-crore tender floated in September 2025 for 238 AC local train rakes. Instead, it will manufacture them simultaneously at three railway factories: Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, and Modern Coach Factory in Raebareli. The move aims to speed deliveries after the tender route threatened delays until 2033-34. The first AC rake is now expected by 2027, with all 238 rakes arriving by 2030. The original plan under MUTP-3 and MUTP-3A had expected deliveries from 2021-22 onward. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the previous model was facing major hurdles and stretching the timeline.
The Indian Opinion
The talk of 'fast-tracking' glosses over the original mess: the 2011 plan promised AC locals by 2021. Repeated tender delays pushed delivery to 2034. Now, using existing railway factories sounds pragmatic, but production at three different units simultaneously carries its own risks of coordination and quality. The real test will be the first rake arriving in 2027, not by 2030 for the full order. Will this finally end the decade-long wait for Mumbai's commuters?
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
