Mumbai’s Monorail reopening to be delayed further as evacuation plan not ready yet

Mumbai's monorail reopening has been pushed back as the city's transportation authority is still developing a comprehensive evacuation plan for stranded passengers. This delay follows a recent incident where over 600 people had to be rescued from an overcrowded train that lost power between stations in Chembur. The rescue operation, conducted by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, took two hours and involved breaking open the train's glass doors.

Despite recent upgrades including new rakes and safety certifications, the evacuation mechanism remains unresolved. The authority is also assessing safety measures along the elevated guideways before allowing the service to resume. One proposed solution involves constructing walkways along the guideways to enable passengers to evacuate stranded trains. However, experts at IIT Bombay have raised concerns about the feasibility of such construction along the existing elevated structure.

The MMRDA is considering other options such as deploying man lifts for emergencies or using a second rake on the opposite line. If neither of these solutions is viable, officials say a backup mechanism would still be necessary. Additionally, the agency is investigating the consequences of a rake tilting on sharp curves due to overcrowding, as power disruption could render emergency doors inoperable and impair air-conditioning.

The MMRDA is also exploring ways to cover gaps between sections of the elevated guideways to prevent objects from falling onto roads below. This safety concern stems from the possibility of small objects falling from the elevated structure posing risks to pedestrians and vehicles. While work continues on finishing monorail stations, no new date has been announced for the resumption of services.