First train for Wadala-Kasarvadavali Metro 4 to reach Mumbai in first week of December

The first train for the Wadala-Kasarvadavali Metro 4 line, which is meant to make travel between Thane and Mumbai faster and easier, is due to reach Mumbai in the first week of December. The first look of the train has also been revealed.

The train has been built at Alstom's factory at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, where rigorous testing and technical checks are now under way.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has given the contract for the line's systems and trains to L&T. The trains are being procured from Alstom through L&T. The first train was ready in a record fourteen months from the award of the contract. The train will enter service only after trials on the track and approval from the RDSO.

Alstom's factory can build three trains a month. At that pace, a total of 39 trains (234 coaches) will be delivered in instalments by January 2028. The first 20 trains are planned for delivery by August 2027, while construction of the remaining trains is planned to be completed in early 2028.

Meanwhile, service on the Gaimukh to Cadbury Junction stretch of Metro 4 is planned to begin in December itself. Initially, however, trains of Metro 7 (Gundavali to Dahisar) will run on this route. Alstom's new trains will carry passengers only after all tests and safety checks are completed. Thane residents will therefore have to wait a few months to travel in brand-new trains.

Each train will have 310 seats and can carry 2,238 passengers at a time. If needed, the train can later be extended from six coaches to eight. The trains are fully ready to run on driverless technology in future. The technical capability allows for a gap of 90 seconds between trains.

For safety, the trains are fitted with a special anti-drag system. If an object or obstruction is caught in a door, the system will detect it and not let the train move, reducing the risk of accidents. Each train will have 36 CCTV cameras and 24 passenger emergency alarms.

For passenger convenience, each coach has 8 to 10 charging points, a separate stand for bicycles and a large display screen for information. Each train will have six bicycle stands. The train is designed for Mumbai's humid climate and heavy rain. Special care has been taken to prevent leakage in the rain, and a humidity-responsive HVAC system has been fitted. The trains are estimated to have a life of about 35 years.

Stations will have lifts, escalators, automatic ticketing systems and platform screen doors. Solar energy, LED lighting and energy-saving technology will also be used.