After eight passengers fell from an excessively crowded train at Mumbra railway station on Monday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a meeting with Railway Board officials and the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) team to address passenger safety in non-AC local trains.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Railways, the purpose was to find a practical solution to the issue of automatic door closing in local non-AC trains in Mumbai. The major issue with automatic door closing in non-AC trains is suffocation because of reduced ventilation.

“After detailed discussions, it was decided that new non-AC trains will be designed and manufactured where the key issue of ventilation will be resolved using three design changes– First, the doors will have louvres. Second, coaches will have roof-mounted ventilation units to pump in fresh air. And third, the coaches will have vestibules so that passengers can move from one coach to another and balance out the crowd in a natural way,” the statement stated.

“The first train of this new design will be ready by November 2025. After necessary tests and certification, it will be put into service by January 2026. This is in addition to the 238 AC trains being manufactured for Mumbai suburban services,” the Ministry of Railways said.

Eight passengers travelling towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) fell from a excessive crowded train at Mumbra railway station in Thane district on Monday, officials from Central Railways said.

The accident, which occurred on the Down/Fast Line, disrupted local train services. According to Central Railways, the reason for the accident is believed to be excessive crowd on the train.

Passengers travelling on the footboard on a local train from Kasara and similarly those on a train going towards CSMT, collided with each other and fell.