Mumbai’s suburban rail network will introduce automatic doors across its trains by December 2025. The initiative, announced by railway officials, is expected to transform passenger safety on the city’s busiest transit system, which carries over 70 lakh daily commuters.
The rollout includes 238 fully air-conditioned rakes currently under production, all equipped with sensor-based automatic doors. For the existing non-air-conditioned fleet, retrofitting has been planned, ensuring the entire system gradually transitions to the upgraded safety mechanism. A prototype already tested in the city demonstrates not only automated doors but also improved ventilation and interconnecting vestibules designed to ease passenger movement during peak hours. The decision comes against the backdrop of recurring accidents linked to overcrowding and open-door travel, long considered the weakest point of Mumbai’s railway safety. According to official data, nearly eight lives are lost daily on the suburban network, largely due to commuters falling from moving trains. A recent incident in Mumbra, where several passengers died after being pushed out of a crowded coach, intensified calls for immediate reforms. Passenger associations and transport experts had been demanding automatic doors for years, pointing to international best practices where such systems are standard.
Railway officials stressed that safety will not be compromised and that automatic doors will now form an essential part of suburban rail operations. The doors will close automatically before departure and reopen only once trains have come to a complete halt, significantly reducing the chances of commuters boarding or alighting unsafely. Experts note that while technology will help mitigate risk, behavioural change among passengers used to open-door travel will remain a crucial challenge. To support the transition, retrofitted prototypes are being developed at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, with the first rake scheduled for trials in November. Following successful testing, the widespread rollout will commence in December alongside the induction of the new AC rakes.
Urban mobility specialists welcomed the move, calling it a long overdue upgrade for Mumbai’s rail lifeline. They noted that integrating automatic doors not only saves lives but also aligns the suburban system with global safety benchmarks. Moreover, improved ventilation and circulation within upgraded coaches are expected to offer a more dignified travel experience in one of the world’s most congested urban transport systems. The project is being seen as more than a technological fix. It marks a cultural milestone in how Mumbai approaches commuter safety, prioritising human life over the rush-hour culture that has long defined its trains. For a city striving to be more sustainable, inclusive, and humane in its urban mobility design, automatic doors represent a vital step towards zero fatalities on public transport.
With December 2025 as the target, Mumbai’s railway lifeline is preparing to usher in a new era where safety and sustainability move hand in hand with the daily pulse of the city.
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