Mumbai Monorail Service Suspended From Sept 20 For Upgradation
A technical snag led the monorail to stop in its tracks on Monday in the Wadala area of Mumbai.
Monorail commuters may have to find alternate routes from Sept 20 since the train service will be temporarily halted "until further notice", the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority told news agency PTI.
The suspension comes after the train service was disrupted on multiple occasions, prompting rescue of stranded passengers.
A technical snag led the monorail to stop in its tracks on Monday in the Wadala area of Mumbai. The monorail going from Gadge Maharaj station to Chembur, experienced a technical glitch at Mukundrao Ambedkar Road junction near Antop Hill Bus Depot and GTBN monorail station in Wadala.
"Today, a technical snag occurred in one of the mono trains. As per safety protocols, all 17 passengers onboard were swiftly and safely transferred to another train and taken to the next station by 7.40 am. The affected train is being towed away," Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation shared in a statement on X.
Earlier on Aug 19, more than 500 passengers were rescued after a monorail train screeched to a stop between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations amid torrential rains.
The monorail stopped at 6:15 pm after which passengers called the helpline 1916, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Mumbai Monorail authority said that the train had a "minor power supply issue", which led to it being stuck.
Fifteen passengers complained of suffocation due to the air conditioning and electricity being off, according to reports. The officials reported that Mumbai Brigade sent three snorkel vehicles to the area to rescue the passengers after cutting through the window glass.
The brigade reached the spot and started rescue operations using the three snorkel vehicles. The rescue operation took place over a period of four hours. The rescue team hit a few snags due to overcrowding and power supply failure.
A passenger, who was rescued, told news agency PTI that he was stuck in the monorail for almost an hour and 45 minutes. "People were scared as there was no communication from the authorities. Some were struggling to breathe and tried to break the window. A couple of passengers fainted," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
