Mumbai’s suspended Monorail services may take several more months to restart, with authorities considering the installation of a safety net beneath the elevated guideway before allowing trains to return to regular passenger operations.
Nearly a year after services were halted, the system has already undergone a major technical overhaul and received safety clearance for passenger operations on June 3. However, officials now estimate that another three to four months may be required to address additional safety concerns.
The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL), a subsidiary of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is examining the feasibility of installing protective netting between the elevated track and the road below.
“Between the guideway beams (tracks) and the road, there is no protection to hold any loose material that might fall onto the road,” two people familiar with the Mumbai Monorail told Hindustan Times.
One official indicated that the work could potentially be completed around Diwali in early November. However, another person said a full resumption is unlikely before December.
“If the route has to be reopened around Diwali, it will be partial, from Chembur to Wadala Depot,” the second person said.
That section covers 8.93 km, or nearly half of the 19.54-km corridor between Chembur and Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk, commonly known as Jacob Circle.
Safety Concerns Drive Additional Work
The proposed netting is intended to prevent incidents involving loose components falling onto roads. In July 2016, a load wheel from a Monorail train fell onto Ramakrishna Chemburkar Road in Chembur. No casualties were reported. Another incident occurred in January 2015, when a finger plate became dislodged at Mahul.
MMMOCL suspended services on September 20, 2025, following repeated technical failures that left crowded trains stranded on several occasions.
Since then, the system has undergone extensive upgrades, including fleet improvements, track repairs and installation of Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling. Following multiple trials, the network received safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety on June 3.
However, installing the additional protection is technically challenging. Engineers must determine whether existing Monorail pillars can support the extra load without interfering with electrical equipment.
Authorities are also assessing whether the safety net should cover the entire corridor or only sections where pedestrians and vehicles pass directly below the elevated track. A pilot installation could be carried out before a wider rollout.
Before suspension, the Mumbai Monorail carried around 18,000 passengers a day, with ridership rising to nearly 20,000 during the 2025 monsoon.
The proposed safety intervention could further delay the service restart, but authorities are prioritising protection of commuters and road users before reopening the system.
Source: Hindustan Times
