The first suburban local train in Mumbai featuring a dedicated coach exclusively for senior citizens is now ready at the Matunga station. Designed by the Central Railway’s Matunga Workshop, this coach is similar to compartments reserved for luggage and physically challenged passengers. The workshop plans to modify the remaining 163 trains in the fleet by September 2026. The new train is expected to begin operations within this week.

This dedicated compartment aims to ease the commuting difficulties faced by senior citizens, particularly during rush hours, providing a comfortable and safe travel experience.

The initiative follows a September 2024 directive from the Bombay High Court, which instructed the railways to expedite the creation of reserved spaces for senior citizens. This came after a Public Interest Litigation filed by K P Purushothaman Nair, a lawyer and retired government employee, who sought a separate coach for senior citizens akin to those for physically challenged passengers on Mumbai’s suburban trains.

Currently, each train has seven seats reserved for senior citizens spread across two general compartments, but these remain difficult to access during peak hours. Many seniors are forced to board coaches reserved for physically challenged passengers to avoid overcrowding.

Railway officials informed the court that the Railway Board had approved modification plans to be implemented over two years, without affecting existing train services.

A Central Railway spokesperson confirmed, “Matunga Workshop has rolled out the first Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) rake featuring a dedicated compartment for elderly passengers in the Mumbai suburban network.”

Under Railway Board directives, a dedicated team at Matunga Workshop converted a middle luggage compartment in the sixth coach from the Mumbai end into a reserved space for senior citizens, marking a key step towards inclusive mobility.

Meanwhile, Western Railway plans to convert luggage compartments in 105 non-AC EMU rakes into senior citizen coaches, each providing 13 seats and space for 91 commuters.