MRVC set to procure 238 AC Vande Metro Trainsets worth ₹19,293 crore from Indian Railways

Mumbai, India (Rail & Metro Today): The long-pending procurement of 238 air-conditioned suburban train rakes for Mumbai has received a major boost, with the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) deciding to manufacture the entire fleet at three production units of Indian Railways.

The decision comes more than three years after MRVC invited international bids for the procurement of the AC local trains along with their lifetime maintenance.

MRVC Chairman and Managing Director Vilas Wadekar said the first 12-coach AC suburban train is expected to be procured in 2027, while the entire fleet of 238 rakes is targeted to be made available by 2030.

₹19,293 crore investment for 238 AC local rakes

The project involves the procurement of 238 AC suburban rakes comprising 2,856 coaches, with an estimated rolling stock cost of ₹19,293 crore.

The trains are being procured under the ambitious Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3 and are expected to significantly strengthen Mumbai's suburban railway capacity.

The proposed fleet has also been referred to as 'Vande Metro' suburban trains, reflecting the adoption of modern trainset technology for Mumbai's high-density commuter network.

Three Railway production units to manufacture trains

According to Wadekar, the 238 AC local rakes will be manufactured at three major Indian Railways production facilities:

• Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai
• Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala
• Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli

The distributed manufacturing approach is expected to accelerate production and enable Indian Railways to leverage its existing manufacturing capabilities.

The first trains are expected to enter procurement in 2027, with the complete fleet scheduled for delivery by 2030.

International tender failed to attract expected response

MRVC had originally invited international bids in June 2023 for 238 AC suburban rakes along with their lifetime maintenance.

The bid submission deadline was extended several times, but the corporation did not receive the expected response from international manufacturers.

Following the lack of satisfactory response, the procurement strategy has now shifted towards manufacturing the trains through Indian Railways' own production units.

Boost for Mumbai suburban rail network

Mumbai's suburban railway system carries millions of passengers every day and remains the backbone of the city's public transport network. The introduction of a large fleet of modern AC trains is expected to improve passenger comfort while increasing the availability of air-conditioned suburban services.

The 238-rake programme is also expected to support the long-term modernisation of Mumbai's suburban railway network under MUTP 3.

With the first rake targeted for 2027 and the complete fleet planned by 2030, the project represents one of the largest planned additions of modern AC suburban rolling stock to Mumbai's railway system.