Mumbai Rail Tragedy Spurs Indian Railways to Upgrade Non-AC Trains

In response to the recent deaths of commuters on Mumbai’s local trains, Indian Railways is implementing significant changes to its non-AC train design. The revamp will focus on automatically closing doors and better ventilation to mitigate the risks associated with overcrowding. The Railway Board has outlined plans for the new trains, which are scheduled to be ready by November 2025 and put into service by January 2026. These changes include the installation of doors with louvres and roof-mounted ventilation units, designed to improve airflow. Furthermore, vestibules will be added to enable passengers to move between coaches, thereby helping to manage congestion. The upgrades are a direct response to the incident near Mumbra railway station in Maharashtra where overcrowded trains led to multiple fatalities.