Mumbai Monorail Breakdown: When Overcrowding Halts a City

A Mumbai Monorail train halted between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park due to overcrowding, exceeding its weight capacity. Around 500 passengers were rescued while another stalled train was towed. The incident was attributed to the closure of the Harbour Line, which led to unusual crowding at Monorail stations.

On Tuesday, a Mumbai Monorail train came to an unexpected halt between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations, reportedly due to overcrowding, according to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The incident stranded around 500 passengers, who were subsequently rescued by the fire brigade using snorkel cranes.

Another Monorail train, stuck near the Wadala bridge, was towed to the nearest station, allowing 200 passengers to be safely evacuated. Preliminary checks by MMRDA revealed that overcrowding increased the train's weight to 109 metric tonnes, surpassing its designed capacity of 104 tonnes. This excess weight severed the mechanical contact between the power rail and the current collector, disrupting the train's power supply.

The breakdown was exacerbated by the shutdown of Mumbai's Harbour Line due to heavy rainfall, which led to an unusual influx of passengers. MMRDA reported that despite the efforts of security personnel to control the masses, the sudden commuter surge could not be mitigated. A meticulous technical review is now underway to prevent similar incidents in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)