Mumbai monorail breakdown: Fire brigade rescues hundreds after overcrowding halts train

All 582 passengers stranded on a Mumbai Monorail between Chembur and Bhakti Park were successfully rescued by the Mumbai Fire Brigade using snorkel ladder vehicles after a technical failure halted the train. A technical review is underway to prevent future incidents.

Mumbai: All 582 passengers stuck in the Mumbai Monorail near Mysore Colony between Chembur and Bhakti Park were rescued by the Mumbai Fire Brigade of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with the help of snorkel (ladder) vehicles on Tuesday.

The rescue operation has been successfully completed by the Mumbai Fire Brigade.

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According to BMC, the monorail service between Chembur and Bhakti Park was halted due to a technical glitch around 6:15 p.m. Passengers on the monorail contacted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s helpline number 1916 for immediate assistance during this emergency situation. A medical team from the municipal corporation was present at the scene with ambulances. Six individuals who felt unwell in the monorail were treated on the spot in the ambulance and later sent home.

“Buses from BEST (Bombay Electric Supply and Transport) were deployed for the service of the rescued passengers. These passengers were transported via these buses. As per the instructions of Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr Ashwini Joshi and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr Amit Saini were present at the scene, overseeing the relief operations and expediting the process,” said BMC in a post on X.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in a release said that a Monorail train (RST-4) stalled between Bhakti Park and Chembur, near Mysore Colony station. “Preliminary checks revealed that due to overcrowding, the total weight of the train rose to around 109 metric tonnes, which exceeded its designed capacity of 104 metric tonnes. This excess weight caused a break in the mechanical contact between the power rail and the current collector, cutting off the electricity supply required to run the train,” it added.

MMRDA said it immediately dispatched a team of technicians to the site and, as per the SOP, deployed another monorail to tow the stalled train. Normally, in such situations, the stalled train is towed to the nearest station. However, because of the excess weight, it could not be towed and therefore, a rescue operation had to be carried out with the help of the Fire Brigade.

“The overcrowding was triggered by the closure of the Indian Railways Harbour Line owing to heavy rainfall in Mumbai. Despite repeated efforts by security personnel to regulate boarding and prevent excessive crowding, the surge in commuter demand overwhelmed the system,” said MMRDA.

MMRDA further stated, “ It is important to note that the Mumbai Monorail is a low-capacity transit system, intended to serve specific corridors and not designed for sudden high-volume loads akin to suburban railways or metro systems. MMRDA is committed to a safe and secure journey by its Metro and Monorail systems. Today’s incident happened primarily due to overcrowding. MMRDA requests all commuters to kindly follow the instructions of the security and technical teams deployed to ensure smooth operations during emergency situations like today.”

According to MMRDA, it is actively coordinating with BMC and emergency services to provide passenger assistance, deboard affected commuters safely, and restore power and operations at the earliest. Immediate corrective actions are underway, and a detailed technical review is being conducted to prevent recurrence.

Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a post on X said, “Due to some technical reason, a monorail is stuck between Chembur and Bhakti Park. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the fire brigade, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), all agencies, have reached the spot. The highest priority is being given to the safety of all passengers. Therefore, no one should worry or panic. All passengers will be safely evacuated. I request everyone to remain patient. I am in contact with the MMRDA Commissioner, the Municipal Commissioner, the police, and all relevant agencies. An inquiry will also be conducted into why this incident occurred.”

Deputy Chief Minister and MMRDA chairman Eknath Shinde spoke to the passengers stuck in the Monorail and urged them not to panic. He also instructed the BMC, the Mumbai fire brigade and MMRDA to conduct a rescue operation.