Faster suburban trains for Mumbai under test

The prototype of a new 12-car stainless steel EMU (Electrical Multiple Unit) rake from Bombardier Corporation, running on 25KVAC traction arrived in Mumbai for tests after a long delay. The rake, manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, was procured by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) II project. Around 70 modifications were made before the final designs of the new prototype were approved. The new rake has safety features such as roof-mounted ventilation and slide-doors, better passenger comfort and energy saving equipment. It has a top speed of 120kmph compared to 100kmph of the existing rakes. The new rake is more powerful than the existing ones as it has a three-phase propulsion system, microprocessor control-based technology and a more aerodynamic design.
The new prototype is also white and violet like the present rakes, but the violet colour used is a darker shade to hide paan and gutkha stains. It will undergo a series of trials by Research Design and Standards Organisations and the commissioner for railway safety (CRS) before it will be ready for commercial operations. The trials will test aspects like signalling, braking conditions, distancing aspects and will also inspect the new energy saving equipment. Once approved by both of them, 72 coaches will be manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory based on the approved design.