Railways Splits Production of 238 AC Local Rakes for Mumbai Across Three Units
The Ministry of Railways has finalised a production-sharing plan to manufacture 238 air-conditioned Electric Multiple Unit (AC EMU) rakes for Mumbai's suburban network across three Railway production units. Under the 50:30:20 ratio arrangement, Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai will build the largest share of 120 rakes, while Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala and Modern Coach Factory (MCF) in Raebareli will produce 71 and 47 rakes respectively.
Deliveries of the first trainsets are scheduled to commence in 2027, with the entire requirement of 238 AC EMU rakes expected to be completed by 2030.
The production plan was established to guarantee the timely availability of rolling stock as new rail infrastructure is commissioned across Mumbai under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP). By dividing the work across three facilities, the Railways will not depend on a single manufacturing unit for the city's major suburban fleet requirement. ICF will manufacture 50.4 per cent of the total order, RCF will account for 29.8 per cent, and MCF will provide 19.7 per cent.
Following approval from the Railway Board, the three production facilities will build the trainsets using existing and proven RDSO and ICF specifications. Adopting established designs is intended to speed up production timelines and prevent delays that come with developing a new train design.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the production programme has been prioritised to ensure that rolling stock is ready in line with ongoing infrastructure commissioning. The designated production units already have operational experience in manufacturing modern passenger rolling stock, including AC EMUs, Vande Bharat trainsets, and Vande Metro trainsets.
For Mumbai, the timing of the deliveries remains critical as suburban rail infrastructure continues to expand under MUTP. The availability of new trains will directly determine how quickly newly created capacity can be put into full public service. The phased supply between 2027 and 2030 is aimed at bridging the gap between infrastructure completion and rolling stock availability, while providing a major expansion to the city's AC suburban fleet.
