Mumbai: Nearly 800 Passengers Rescued After Two Monorail Trains Breakdown Amidst Intense Rainfall

Two Mumbai monorail trains broke down on Tuesday evening due to heavy rain, causing significant disruptions and the stranding of almost 800 passengers. All 782 passengers were successfully rescued. The first incident involved a monorail train with 582 passengers, which stopped between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park in Chembur, central Mumbai, at 6:38 PM. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) cited a power supply issue related to “overcrowding” as the cause. Around an hour later, a second monorail train, carrying 200 passengers, came to a standstill between Acharya Atre and Wadala MonoRail Station around 7:33 PM. The passengers were subsequently rescued after the train was towed back to Wadala station. The MMRDA, which manages the monorail service, explained that the first train exceeded its original capacity due to excessive passenger load, which resulted in the power failure. The investigation revealed that the total weight of the train rose to about 109 metric tons, exceeding the original design capacity of 104 tons. This weight caused a mechanical disconnection and a subsequent power supply disruption. Mumbai is the only city to operate a monorail system, which operates at an average speed of 65 kph. Each coach is designed to accommodate 18 seated and 124 standing passengers. The MMRDA also mentioned that another monorail was sent to tow the stalled monorail, but due to the overload, it could not be pulled. The fire brigade then had to carry out the rescue operation, which lasted approximately three hours. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the train tilted due to overcrowding and the power failure. The MMRDA noted that due to “unusually high passenger numbers” preventing control. The Mumbai Monorail is a limited-capacity transport system and not designed for large crowds, unlike conventional suburban trains or the metro system. Several images showed panicked passengers attempting to force open the windows of the train before the rescue operation began. Many rescued passengers reported that a panic situation ensued as the cooling systems failed, making it difficult to breathe.