Mumbai to get 67 air-conditioned local trains

In a bid to reduce the deaths of people due to overcrowded trains and after 'BEST' bus services shut its air-condition bus operations in the state,

Mumbai, April 19: The state government and the ministry of railways on Tuesday had decided to buy 47 air-conditioned -- closed doors -- local trains under the third phase of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-III.

The state government had stated that the decision was taken after 'BEST' bus service decided to shut its AC bus operations in the city.

In a meeting, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said to have decided to buy AC trains for Rs 10,500 crore under MUTP-III.

The state government also approved the sharing cost of Rs 4,300 crore communication-based train control which is also known as the cab signaling project on the Harbour line.

Under the MUTP-III project, the city will get additional 20 AC trains and the number of services on the Harbour is believed to rise by 50 per cent.

Giving a green signal to the project, the Asia Development Bank had agreed to fund Rs 14,000 crore.

Under this project, railway ministry had planned to buy 47 trains. The railway ministry will also introduce the closed doors or AC locals in a bid to reduce the deaths because of overcrowded trains.

Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Chairman, Prabhat Sahay had said that the local trains under the MUTP-III project would be upgraded from the existing local trains and added that the ministry is looking for cost estimation of the up gradation and said that each train would cost around 80 crore.

Suresh Prabhu said that it was the first time that Asia Development Bank, one of the major funding agencies, has approved to fund CST-Panvel elevated corridor.

He also added that issue in funding the elevated corridor had sorted out after ADB agreed to fund 50 per cent of Rs 1,44,00 crore project.

OneIndia News