Archive · 21 Aug 2026
New Railway System Could Restart Mumbai Escalators Within Two Minutes
Mumbai railway stations are introducing a new way to restart broken escalators faster.
The goal is to get them working again in about two minutes.
Right now, an escalator stopped with its emergency button can take around 25 minutes to restart.
Long outages make passengers use crowded staircases instead.
This can be especially difficult for older people, women, people with disabilities and travelers carrying luggage.
New escalators must come with at least 15 years of maintenance from their manufacturers after the warranty ends.
Older escalators can receive a repair and then at least seven years of manufacturer maintenance.
A monitoring website will track inspections and repairs.
These changes are intended to make escalators more reliable at busy stations.
A new system could restart escalators within two minutes after an emergency-stop breakdown.
Western Railway says restarting an escalator currently takes about 25 minutes.
Manufacturers must provide at least 15 years of comprehensive maintenance for newly procured escalators after warranty expiry.
Older escalators may receive one-time railway repairs followed by at least seven years of manufacturer maintenance.
Indian Railways is expanding a monitoring portal requiring checklist inspections and joint sign-offs.
- Who
- The Railway Board, Indian Railways, Western Railway, manufacturers and maintenance contractors.
- What
- Railways are introducing faster escalator restart procedures, longer maintenance requirements and expanded inspection monitoring.
- When
- The instructions were issued on August 13, 2026; the revised technical standards were issued on January 16, 2026, and the announcement was dated August 20, 2026.
- Where
- Mumbai suburban railway stations, with the monitoring system being extended across Indian Railways.
- Why
- To reduce escalator downtime, ease passenger inconvenience and improve reliability at busy stations.
- Proposed restart time
- Within two minutes after a breakdown involving the emergency-stop button.
- Current restart time
- About 25 minutes, according to Western Railway officials.
- New escalator maintenance
- At least 15 years of comprehensive manufacturer maintenance after the warranty period.
- Older escalator maintenance
- A one-time railway repair followed by at least seven years of comprehensive manufacturer maintenance.
- Inspection process
- Inspections must follow the Research Designs and Standards Organisation checklist and be jointly signed by the manufacturer and a railway representative.
- Monitoring system
- Western Railway’s escalator maintenance portal is being extended across Indian Railways.