(Image source from: PTI)
Two monorail trains experienced breakdowns in Mumbai this evening during heavy rain, leaving many passengers stuck. All 782 passengers were saved. In the first incident, one monorail train carrying 582 people got halted between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park in central Mumbai’s Chembur around 6:38 PM. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) reported that this happened due to a power supply problem caused by "overcrowding." Almost an hour later, another monorail with 200 passengers stopped suddenly between Acharya Atre and Wadala Mono Rail Station at 7:33 PM. The passengers were safely evacuated after the train was pulled back to the nearby Wadala station. According to the MMRDA, the train that stopped at 6:38 PM exceeded its designed capacity of 104 tons since it was overloaded, leading to the power supply issue.
"The initial inspection showed that the monorail's weight reached around 109 metric tons because of overcrowding, which was more than its designed limit of 104 tons. This extra weight caused a mechanical separation between the power rail and the current collector, resulting in a power failure that stopped the monorail," the statement explained. Mumbai is the only city that has a Monorail System operating at an average speed of 65 kilometers per hour. Each car can hold 18 seated passengers and 124 standing ones. The MMRDA mentioned that another monorail was dispatched to assist in towing the stalled train to the closest station. "However, since the stuck monorail was overloaded, it could not be moved. Thus, the fire brigade had to conduct the rescue operation," they stated. The rescue took about three hours, and passengers were saved in groups.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde mentioned that the train tilted due to the overcrowding. "Because the Harbour line was closed, many passengers redirected to the monorail. The overcrowding caused it to tilt, and there was also a power failure," he said. The MMRDA noted that "the overwhelming crowding could not be managed because there were unusually high passenger numbers." They stressed that the Mumbai Monorail is designed for specific routes with limited capacity and is not made to accommodate a sudden influx of large crowds like regular suburban trains or metro systems. Numerous images showed frightened passengers attempting to break the windows of the train before the fire brigade arrived to help. Those who were rescued described a scene of panic inside the train, with many reporting difficulty breathing after the air conditioning stopped working. Officials stated that 23 passengers who were "suffocated" received treatment at an on-site ambulance and were released. Two passengers were taken to Sion Hospital for further care.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis encouraged everyone to stay calm and promised that all "passengers will be safely rescued." He mentioned that there will be an investigation into what happened. "I ask everyone to be patient. I am talking with the MMRDA Commissioner, the Municipal Commissioner, the police, and all relevant groups. An investigation will also be done to find out the reason for this incident," he shared on X. His assistant, Mr Shinde, stated that the main focus of the government is to save all passengers. "Our main focus right now is to save everyone. There are almost 200 passengers stuck inside. Our medical team is also on the scene. I urge the passengers to stay calm," Mr Shinde said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that the fire brigade quickly responded when they received a call for help.
"In this emergency, passengers quickly called the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's helpline number 1916 for help," said the BMC. "The Mumbai Fire Brigade responded swiftly, arriving at the scene and starting rescue efforts with three snorkel vehicles," it continued. This incident was not the first of its kind. In August 2024, a monorail train unexpectedly stopped during its journey. A few months ago, another monorail train carrying many school children abruptly halted due to a technical issue. This situation arises as the city has been experiencing heavy rain for the past two days, interrupting regular activities.
The intense rainfall caused streets to flood, leaving commuters and vehicles stuck in the deep waters. This situation exposed the annual struggle the financial capital faces with the monsoon season. "Mumbai has seen record rain of about 300 mm. The city's main transportation, the suburban trains, has slowed down. The Mithi river (flowing through Mumbai) has reached a critical level, and 400 to 500 people needed to be evacuated," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated following the weekly cabinet meeting.
