Mumbai: In a significant decision that could boost and improve Mumbai’s public transit, the railway ministry has given an in-principle nod to 238 air-conditioned (AC) rakes at an approximate cost of ₹20,000 crore. The AC rakes will be procured under Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), which will gradually replace the existing non-AC rakes.
Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw gave his go ahead to the procurement of AC rakes at a high-level meeting with rail officers from Mumbai on May 15. The process of setting up new car sheds at Bhivpuri (Karjat) and Vangaon (Dahanu) for maintenance of these AC local trains will begin simultaneously.
Sources, who were a part of this meeting, said Vaishnaw enquired about the status of MUTP-3 and 3A that has been cleared for Mumbai and its metropolitan region.
