Latest news with #EMU
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Chennai to get second AC EMU by October
Chennai: Amid complaints over poor service, high cost, and delays, Chennai's second AC EMU—built at Integral Coach Factory—will be ready in two months and is likely to be launched by October after safety clearances and test runs. When asked if design changes were made after the rake scraped platforms at Pallavaram and Chromepet last month, ICF officials clarified that their coaches follow standard national dimensions, and any mismatch at a few stations should be corrected by Southern Railway. Meanwhile, ICF is also building two non-AC EMU train sets fitted with automatic doors—a feature introduced after a recent Mumbai suburban accident killed four passengers hanging from footboards. Though built in Chennai, these rakes are likely to be allotted to Central Railway, where demand and crowding remain highest. The auto-door mechanism won't allow doors to close unless all passengers board fully, eliminating the common risk of commuters clinging onto doors. The loco pilot will control door operation, and sensors will block movement if anyone hangs out. ICF officials said this model will be tested in Mumbai and extended to other cities like Chennai based on commuter response. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 안구건조 걱정 없이 안전하게! 강남아이원스안과 지금 신청하기 Undo You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai On the Vande Bharat sleeper front, the first rake is currently stationed at New Delhi, where ICF engineers are making minor modifications based on Railway Safety Commissioner feedback. The second rake is expected by August 15, and a third by mid-September. Visiting ICF on Thursday, Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna said, "The Make in India push has made ICF a global rail coach hub. From 3,700 coaches last year, production will touch 4,200 this year." He also inspected the Chennai–Arakkonam–Kanchipuram rail section on Thursday and said the govt will examine building a new railway station near the upcoming Parandur airport. ICF's production calendar for 2025–26 includes 4,356 coaches, including 88 Vande Bharat chair car rakes, 3 Vande Bharat sleepers by September, 8 AC EMUs, and 2 auto-door non-AC EMUs by December.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Suburban trains get 12-car upgrade, space for 4 lakh commuters more
Chennai: To reduce passenger congestion, Southern Railway converted all nine-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) rakes into 12-car rakes across key sections of the suburban rail network. This upgrade enables the network to accommodate nearly four lakh additional commuters every day. The augmentation was carried out in phases at the EMU car shed at Avadi and now covers the major corridors — Chennai Beach-Chengalpet, Chennai Central-Arakkonam, and Chennai Central-Gummidipoondi/Sullurupeta. These routes are part of the southwest and northeast lines, which witness some of the highest footfalls in the suburban system. According to an official release, the Chennai division currently facilitates daily travel of around 1.2 million passengers, including 8.6 lakh suburban commuters. The addition of three coaches a rake resulted in a 21% increase in seating capacity. This allows for an additional 4 lakh passengers to be accommodated every day. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Railway authorities expect the upgrade to substantially ease overcrowding, particularly during peak hours. "The additional capacity is likely to improve both comfort and safety for regular commuters using the busy suburban network," the release said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Were So Beautiful Before; Now Look At Them; Number 10 Will Shock You Reportingly Undo "Every morning, all the coaches are packed to the brim, with passengers clinging to door handles or hanging on from the edges. Even women and senior citizens are forced to risk their lives just to reach the city," said T Sadagopan, a resident-activist from Pattabiram. "What happened recently in Mumbai, where four people died, could very well have happened here. This expansion will at least give commuters some breathing room. "
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Southern Railway upgrades Chennai suburban trains to 12-car rakes; boosts capacity by 21%, adds space for 4 lakh more passengers
CHENNAI: Southern has successfully upgraded all 9-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains to 12-car formations across major suburban routes, significantly enhancing Chennai's suburban rail capacity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The conversion was completed in stages at the Avadi EMU Car Shed. The longer trains now operate on the Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu, Chennai Central–Arakkonam, and Chennai Central–Gummidipoondi/Sullurupeta lines, offering a 21% increase in seating capacity. This upgrade aims to ease overcrowding, especially during peak travel times, and improve commuter comfort. The suburban rail network currently handles around 8.6 lakh daily passengers, while non-suburban services carry an additional 3.4 lakh. The 12-car upgrade makes room for up to 4 lakh more passengers daily. According to Railway officials, the move was made to improve safety and reduce congestion, particularly along the heavily used South West and North East corridors. The upgrade is part of Southern Railway's wider effort to modernise the suburban system and cater to rising passenger numbers.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Southern Railway claims Chennai AC EMU ridership rising, but fare concerns persist
By Ramyasre N CHENNAI: Facing criticism over poor patronage, Southern Railway has now claimed that Chennai's airconditioned (AC) EMU suburban trains are witnessing a steady rise in footfall. In a press release issued on Monday, the Chennai division said average daily ridership on the Beach–Chengalpet and Tambaram–Chengalpet sections rose from 1,488 in April to 2,571 in May and further to 2,800 in June. These figures come weeks after visuals of near-empty AC EMU rakes during peak hours went viral, prompting questions about affordability and route utility. With fares marginally higher than first-class tickets on regular EMUs and on a par with Chennai Metro or AC buses for comparable distances, many commuters said the service remains out of reach for daily use. Railway officials say revised schedules, introduced in May, and improved connectivity at key stations like Tambaram, Guindy, Mambalam and Chengalpet have contributed to better occupancy. Eight AC services are currently in operation. However, the numbers, while rising, still represent a fraction of suburban ridership. Officials expect further growth with the eventual integration of the St Thomas Mount–Velachery MRTS section with Chennai Metro under a proposed multimodal transport system.
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Cable theft incidents threaten to derail ECRL completion schedule
BEIJING: Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) has raised concerns over a series of cable theft incidents that could disrupt the planning and operational timeline of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which is now at a critical phase ahead of its targeted completion in December 2026. MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said several theft cases have been detected at specific locations along the ECRL track, which spans Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor. "These incidents not only raise the cost of repairs and replacements but also risk delaying the train testing and commissioning schedule, which is expected to begin in June 2026," he said during an interview with the Malaysian media delegation in Beijing. Darwis noted that if China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) fails to complete the project on time — operations are slated to begin in 2027 — the conglomerate could incur losses of RM1.25 million per day. MRL, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated), is the owner of the mega infrastructure project, while CCCC is the main contractor. As the project owner, MRL has lodged police reports on the incidents and is stepping up security measures, including appointing a dedicated security firm to monitor and safeguard ECRL assets on the ground, he said. "However, we are also counting on continued cooperation from the authorities and local communities to help curb this crime. This is a national project that we must protect together," said Darwis. He said he also plans to meet with Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and the police chiefs of the affected states to seek cooperation and solutions to the issue. The project's completion progress has reached 83.38 per cent as of May this year, on track to meet its completion target of December 2026. Darwis emphasised that 2025 marks the most critical phase of the project, with the installation of communication, information, and signalling systems now underway at the Kota SAS (Sultan Ahmad Shah) Station and soon to proceed simultaneously at other stations. However, since the installation of the systems began in March, the ECRL has been plagued by cable thefts. Aside from Kota SAS, thefts involving cables and several transformer units have been reported in areas such as Paya Besar/Gambang, Cherating, and Kuantan Port City in Pahang; Chukai, Dungun, and Kemasik in Terengganu; and Pasir Puteh in Kelantan. In other developments, Darwis said the first two Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train sets, along with two electric locomotives for freight operations manufactured by CRRC Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. Ltd, are expected to arrive in Malaysia by the end of this year, with subsequent sets arriving in stages from April 2026. "System and train testing and commissioning are scheduled to begin in June 2026. This is a crucial phase that will determine our readiness to begin operations," he said. He also disclosed that 38 tunnels have been successfully bored along the project's alignment, with the final two — Serendah Tunnel 2 and the Genting Twin Tunnel — expected to be completed by the end of this month and early next month, respectively. Darwis also confirmed that all land acquisition work for the main ECRL track from Kota Baru to Port Klang has been fully completed, thanks to cooperation from the respective state governments. "Only a few additional lots are needed to accommodate the electrification system, such as for Tenaga Nasional Bhd, but we've secured 100 per cent of the land acquisition for the main track," he added. He said ECRL's cargo services have received encouraging interest from logistics industry players, with early commitments totalling between 800,000 and one million tonnes for the first year of operations, which is scheduled to begin in early 2027. The 665km ECRL is the largest infrastructure project under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Malaysia and is expected to enhance transport connectivity and catalyse economic growth along Peninsular Malaysia's east coast.
