Mumbai: In a major safety upgrade, Western Railway has approved the replacement of decades-old hydraulic buffer stops at Churchgate and Mumbai Central stations. The project aims to strengthen safety at dead-end platforms by installing modern, high-capacity hydraulic buffers capable of safely absorbing the impact of trains arriving at speeds of up to 15 kmph. The move is expected to reduce the risk of damage to trains, station infrastructure and enhance passenger safety at two of Mumbai's busiest railway terminals.
The Mumbai Central Division will install new hydraulic buffer stops at Platforms 1, 2 and 4 of Churchgate station and Platform 4 of Mumbai Central under a turnkey contract covering design, fabrication, supply, installation, testing and commissioning. In total, four buffer sets comprising eight hydraulic buffers will be installed. The existing buffers at these platforms were installed between 1906 and 1958 and have become worn out after decades of service. Railway officials said they are now beyond economical repair, prompting the decision to replace them on priority.
Churchgate and Mumbai Central are among Western Railway's most important terminal stations, handling thousands of suburban commuters every day besides long-distance trains such as the Rajdhani Express, August Kranti Rajdhani, Shatabdi Express and Humsafar Express. Since these stations have dead-end platforms where trains terminate, hydraulic buffers play a critical role in safely stopping trains in case they overshoot the platform.
The new systems will be installed as per the latest Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) specifications issued in November 2024. Designed as a high-capacity energy absorption system, the buffers can safely arrest a fully loaded passenger train weighing around 1,300 tonnes at speeds of up to 15 kmph without causing structural damage to coaches or the buffer stop. They will be compatible with both Centre Buffer Coupler (CBC) and conventional side-buffer rolling stock used by Indian Railways.
Officials said the new buffers are designed for a minimum service life of 20 years and will require no major maintenance for at least 36 months, except in the event of an accident. Built to withstand harsh weather conditions, including Mumbai's humid coastal environment, the buffers will also feature high-visibility red-and-white reflective paint to improve identification. The project is expected to significantly strengthen safety infrastructure at two of Western Railway's busiest railway terminals.
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