The reopening of Mumbai’s monorail service is likely to be further delayed as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) continues to work on a comprehensive emergency evacuation plan for passengers stranded on an elevated train.
The delay comes months after nearly 600 passengers were rescued from a monorail train that lost power and became stranded between stations in Chembur. The Mumbai Fire Brigade conducted a two-hour rescue operation during the incident, including breaking open the train’s glass doors to evacuate passengers.
Although the monorail network has undergone several upgrades, including the introduction of new rakes, and has received the necessary safety clearances, authorities are yet to finalise an evacuation mechanism. Safety measures along the elevated guideways are also being reviewed before services resume.
“A foolproof evacuation plan is still being studied, and we are yet to arrive at a complete solution,” a senior official of Mumbai Monorail Operations and Maintenance Pvt Ltd, an MMRDA arm operating the service, said.
The operating agency has approached IIT Bombay and Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) for assistance in evaluating possible rescue arrangements. One proposal involves installing walkways alongside the guideways to allow passengers to exit a stranded train. However, IIT Bombay has questioned whether additional structures can be safely accommodated on the existing elevated corridor.
The MMRDA is also considering emergency man lifts, although officials said their deployment could be challenging along congested sections in Chembur, Wadala and Mahalaxmi, where the corridor passes over slums and nullahs.
Another option under consideration involves placing a rescue rake on the adjacent track and transferring passengers through a temporary bridge. Officials, however, said an alternative arrangement would still be necessary if the rescue rake cannot reach the stranded train.
Authorities are additionally studying scenarios involving overcrowding and train tilting on sharp curves, which could disrupt the power connection and affect emergency doors and air-conditioning.
Meanwhile, the MMRDA is examining ways to cover gaps between elevated guideway sections to prevent objects from falling onto roads below. Station finishing works are also underway, but no fresh reopening date has been announced.
Source: The Indian Express
