Louvre doors, ventilation: Mumbai locals' revamp plan after train accident kills 5

In response to the deadly incident earlier today on a Mumbai local train, the Ministry of Railways has announced a major design overhaul for non-air-conditioned (non-AC) train coaches, aimed at improving ventilation.

The new design will feature louvred doors and roof-mounted ventilation units to address long-standing concerns over inadequate airflow - an issue brought into sharp focus by today's tragedy. The decision was taken during an urgent meeting chaired by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw with senior Railway Board officials and the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) team.

The meeting was held after four people were killed, and several others injured when they fell off two overcrowded local trains passing each other in Mumbai during peak office hours today.

After detailed discussions, three key design changes were finalised:

• Louvred doors: New coach doors will include louvres to improve airflow without compromising passenger safety.
• Roof-mounted ventilation units: Fresh air will be pumped into coaches through advanced roof-mounted ventilation systems, significantly enhancing air circulation.
• Vestibule connectivity: Coaches will be interconnected via vestibules, allowing passengers to move freely between compartments and helping to balance passenger density more naturally across the train.

The first train featuring this new design is expected to be ready by November 2025, with passenger service rollout anticipated following the required testing and certification by January 2026.

"The purpose was to find a practical solution to the issue of automatic door closing in non-AC local trains in Mumbai. The major issue with automatic door closing in non-AC trains is suffocation due to reduced ventilation. After detailed discussions, it was decided that new non-AC trains will be designed and manufactured to resolve this key ventilation issue," said Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila.

The ministry has also decided to have automatic door-closing facilities in coaches of all existing and new local trains for Mumbai Suburban. According to news agency PTI, Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, said that all rakes in service at present will be redesigned, and door closure facilities will be provided on these rakes of the Mumbai Suburban.

Indian Railways emphasised that the design shift is aimed at ensuring better passenger comfort and safety, particularly during peak travel times in densely populated urban centres like Mumbai.

The Railways had already been actively considering the procurement of AC local trains for the Central and Western Railways in Mumbai. There had been several rounds of discussions on this earlier, especially after the Bombay High Court pulled up the Railways exactly a year ago.

However, following the accident on June 9, when eight people fell off a moving train, the Railways have now decided to prioritise non-AC local trains with closed doors and improved ventilation.

The first rake to arrive from ICF will be allocated to Central Railway, according to railway officials.

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