Indian Railways to Manufacture 238 AC EMU Rakes for Mumbai Suburban Network
Indian Railways has initiated plans to manufacture 238 Air-Conditioned Electric Multiple Unit (AC EMU) rakes for Mumbai’s suburban railway network, with three of its major production units set to undertake the programme. The initiative is aimed at ensuring timely availability of rolling stock alongside the commissioning of new railway infrastructure being developed under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP).
The Ministry of Railways has prioritised the manufacturing programme through the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai; Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala; and Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli. The move is expected to help synchronise the induction of new trains with infrastructure expansion in the Mumbai suburban system.
According to the indicative production programme, ICF will manufacture 120 AC EMU rakes, while RCF will produce 71 rakes and MCF will manufacture 47 rakes. Together, the three production units will manufacture the complete requirement of 238 AC EMU rakes.
The programme is part of a broader effort to strengthen the capacity and efficiency of Mumbai’s suburban railway network, which serves millions of passengers. With several infrastructure projects being implemented under MUTP, timely induction of new rolling stock will be crucial for making full use of the upgraded railway infrastructure.
Production to Begin from 2027
The supply of the new AC EMU rakes is scheduled to commence in 2027, with the entire sanctioned quantity targeted for completion by 2030. The phased availability of trains is expected to ensure that new rolling stock becomes available as infrastructure projects are commissioned, reducing the possibility of a gap between infrastructure readiness and train deployment.
The first trainsets are expected to become available in 2027, followed by a gradual increase in the number of rakes supplied over the subsequent years. Completion of the full requirement by 2030 is expected to provide Mumbai suburban railway with a substantially expanded fleet of modern air-conditioned trains.
The Railway Board has approved the procurement of the sanctioned AC EMU rakes based on existing and proven RDSO/ICF specifications. The use of established specifications is intended to facilitate faster manufacturing and supply, while also leveraging the existing technical capabilities and production infrastructure of Indian Railways.
Three Production Units to Share Responsibility
The decision to distribute production among ICF, RCF and MCF is expected to enable Indian Railways to undertake the large-scale manufacturing programme within the targeted timeframe.
Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, one of Indian Railways’ major coach manufacturing facilities, has been assigned the largest share of 120 rakes. Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala will manufacture 71 rakes, while Modern Coach Factory in Raebareli will produce 47 rakes.
Indian Railways’ production units already have experience in manufacturing modern passenger rolling stock, including AC EMUs, Vande Bharat trainsets and Vande Metro trainsets. This existing manufacturing capability is expected to support the accelerated production and delivery of the new AC EMU fleet.
Supporting Mumbai’s Infrastructure Expansion
Mumbai’s suburban railway system is undergoing significant infrastructure expansion and modernisation under MUTP. The timely availability of rolling stock is essential to ensure that newly created or upgraded infrastructure can be put into operation without delay.
The planned induction of 238 AC EMU rakes is therefore expected to help bridge the gap between infrastructure commissioning and rolling stock availability. It will also allow Indian Railways to achieve better utilisation of the infrastructure being developed for the Mumbai suburban network.
With production scheduled between 2027 and 2030, the programme represents a major planned expansion of air-conditioned suburban train capacity in Mumbai. The coordinated manufacturing strategy involving three production units is expected to provide a steady supply of new rakes and support the long-term modernisation of the city’s suburban rail services.
