Starting Saturday, the monorail will not run on the 19.54-km line between Chembur to Saat Rasta in Mumbai for at least two months. The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) made this choice after a month of technical problems and delays that have been bothering the system.
Officials said that the system needs to be completely upgraded in order to be reliable for a long time. The overhaul will include bringing in new monorail trains, installing a new Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling system, and fixing up the old fleet.
A Month of Problems
The monorail system has had at least seven problems in the last month alone. The worst thing that happened was on August 19, when heavy rains stopped Mumbai in its tracks. Two monorail trains broke down at Mysore Colony and Antop Hill, so 1,148 people had to be rescued. A train stopped on a bend between two stops on September 15, and 17 passengers had to be rescued in the rain.
The decision to stop operations was made because of these persistent technical problems and safety concerns. The MMMOCL said in a statement that a full shutdown is necessary so that the rakes may be installed, tested, and overhauled without any interruptions. This is hard to perform within the short 3.5-hour overnight maintenance window.
People have called the monorail a “white elephant” since it breaks down a lot and doesn’t get many riders. But now it is going to change a lot. Officials have told the public that the system will come back “with renewed strength, reliability, and the confidence to serve Mumbai better” after the upgrades are done. During the suspension period, commuters have been told to make other travel plans, like using suburban rail services and BEST buses.