Mumbai commuters slam noisy AC local trains, railways promise inspection

An AC train, which created an ear-splitting racket as it pulled into Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Pic/Rajendra B Aklekar

A few new Mumbai AC locals come with a soundtrack, with commuters complaining that they are making a racket that reverberates across the railway station premises. The noise has been a talking point among passengers, highlighting how, as rail technology advances, such peculiar problems are being created by government manufacturing houses, resulting in what was meant to be a leap forward in comfort becoming a daily source of agony for thousands.

A new air-conditioned train, which created an ear-splitting racket as it pulled into Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Pics/Rajendra B Aklekar

Videos shot by irate passengers capturing the continuous groaning of the AC local trains have gone viral. The sound, described as "ear-splitting" and "unbearable", has drawn a flood of complaints to railway authorities.

A noisy local train at Churchgate

mid-day documented the phenomenon at both of the city's rail termini, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Churchgate, where the noise radiating from coach rooftops seemed to bounce off the station's canopy, platform floor, and walls - creating a reverberant acoustic environment.

The trains have been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. As India's government-run manufacturing units focus on increasing targets and producing more trains at a faster pace, critics argue that basic quality benchmarks are being overlooked in the rush to commission new rolling stock.

OfficialSpeak

Railway officials acknowledged receiving complaints and stated that a technical inspection of the rakes will be undertaken, and also, since they are brand new trains, the zonal railways will be taking up the issue with manufacturers as well.

Passengers' voices

Mukesh Makhija, AC local commuter
‘Modernisation should improve the commuter experience, not make it unbearable. The deafening noise from the newly introduced rakes on Central and Western Railway is unacceptable. Railway authorities must act immediately to identify the root cause and rectify the issue instead of expecting millions of daily commuters to silently endure this avoidable inconvenience'

Khurshed J Lawyer, regular commuter
‘It appears that no testing or quality checks were carried out at the ICF before, nor did zonal railways consider it necessary to return faulty, damaged or potentially controversial rakes. Dishing out substandard or low-quality material and taking passengers for granted are the norm'

Devraj Malekar, WR passenger
‘The latest batch of non-underslung AC EMUs received by WR and CR emit a huge groaning sound from all of their roof-mounted AC units. I'm not sure how the quality checks are done at the ICF or how the new AC units are tested. If previous EMUs didn't face this issue, officials at the ICF should have immediately noticed the change due to the AC units supplied by the new vendor'

Expertviews

Sumaira Abdulali, of Awaaz Foundation, an NGO engaged in advocacy to reduce sound and air pollution in public places
‘When new infrastructure is designed, it is essential to ensure they are environmentally friendly and safe for users. Noise pollution is both an environmental as well as health hazard. It is unfortunate that noise has not been considered in the design of new trains'

Savitha Rao, founder of Quiet India
‘Comfort is not only about temperature but also sound. Mumbai's AC locals are noisy, with sound levels rising sharply when another train passes; loud announcements and speaker-mode use add further stress inside the enclosed coach. A quieter commute is a public-health need, not a luxury. The problem is not limited to passengers inside the train. As an AC local leaves the platform, the noise is intense enough to create an acoustic assault for commuters waiting nearby. Comfort and public health must be considered both inside the coach and across the station environment'

Possible sources of noise pollution

Experts suggest the racket may stem from poorly calibrated HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) compressor mounts on new bogies, or resonance in the coach body shell design. Every AC local coach carries a roof-mounted HVAC unit - a heavy mechanical assembly housing compressors, condenser fans, blowers, and refrigerant pipework