After Mumbra Horror, Railways to Retrofit All Mumbai Locals with Automatic Door Closers

Mumbai: In the wake of the tragic Mumbra railway incident that saw over a dozen commuters fall from an overcrowded Kasara-CSMT fast local, the Railway Board has swung into action, announcing a comprehensive safety overhaul for Mumbai’s suburban rail network. This includes fitting automatic door-closing systems on all suburban train rakes—both upcoming and currently in use.

As per media reports, senior Railway Board official confirmed in an internal communication group all rakes under construction for the Mumbai Suburban Railway will now come with automatic door closers as a standard feature. Furthermore, authorities will begin retrofitting existing non-AC trains, which make up the vast majority of the city’s local fleet, with similar safety enhancements.

Mumbai’s suburban railway system is one of the busiest in the world, ferrying an estimated 7 million passengers daily through more than 3,000 train services. The city’s lifeline runs on approximately 250 rakes, of which only around 15 are currently air-conditioned and fitted with automatic door mechanisms.

Monday’s tragedy near Mumbra has once again exposed the dangerous conditions that daily commuters endure—particularly the overcrowded compartments and lack of enforced door safety systems. In this particular incident, the absence of automatic doors contributed to the chaos, as multiple passengers lost balance and fell onto the tracks due to the train’s speed and congestion levels.