The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) on 21 June, 2023 issued an international tender for procurement of 2,856 coaches of Vande Metro trains for Mumbai's suburban rail network. The tender has been issued a month after the Railway Board gave its nod for the same.

The bid is part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), to be carried out under Phase-3 and 3A of MUTP worth Rs 10,947 crore and Rs 33,690 crore, respectively, for procurement of 2,856 coaches, which is equal to 238 trains of 12 coaches each.

The successful bidders will have to supply the air-conditioned Vande Metro within seven years along with setting up of new carsheds at Vangaon (Palghar district) and Bhivpuri (Raigad district) respectively. This includes two years for manufacturing of prototype Vande Metro trains, and another five-year period for the supply of average 50 trains every year, with comprehensive annual maintenance of the trains and the maintenance depot for 35 years.

Along with the procurement-cum-lifetime maintenance of Vande Metro rakes, the successful bidder will have to set up new maintenance depots for Vande Metro and upgrade the existing maintenance facilities. for Mumbai's suburban railway network in May 2023.

The coaches will be earmarked for ladies, passengers with disabilities and senior citizens, and will be outfitted with modular ergonomic cushioned seats, and features such as CCTV, talkback systems, large digital display panels, dynamic route map indication, USB ports, automatic fire detection and alarm system. The trains will have automatic door-closing system and a single class of coaches.

With a body of aluminium alloy or stainless steel, the Vande Metro trains will have the maximum operational speed of 130 kmph.