August 28, 2025: Mumbai’s monorail service is set to see a significant boost, with two new trains expected to commence operations in the coming weeks after months of idling at the Wadala depot, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.
Their induction will expand the active fleet to seven, offering relief to commuters by cutting down congestion and reducing waiting times. At present, only five of the eight existing trains operate along the 20-kilometre stretch linking Chembur, Wadala, and Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk. Three other rakes remain under testing to ensure compatibility with a new batch of seven trains delivered earlier this year.
The two new rakes, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Medha Servo Drives, form part of this batch. Another train is scheduled to arrive in November. Officials from the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL), which oversees the monorail, confirmed that the rakes are being retrofitted to work with the decade-old signalling and engineering systems.
“The required modifications should be completed by early September, following which we will request an inspection from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety,” an MMMOCL official told Hindustan Times. Subject to clearance from the safety authority and approval by the state government, the trains will be introduced into daily service.
With their addition, officials expect carrying capacity to rise across the corridor, while headway between trains will reduce, bringing down wait times from the current 20–25 minutes to approximately 15 minutes. This, in turn, is expected to ease crowding during peak hours.
Each monorail is designed to carry up to 562 passengers. Daily ridership currently averages between 16,000 and 18,000 commuters, with Lower Parel, Chembur, and Wadala ranking among the busiest stations on the line.
Source: Swarajya
