The monorail services in Mumbai were disrupted between Chembur and Bhakti Park due to a technical snag amid heavy rain. Passengers dialled the civic body helpline number, following which fire officials arrived at the scene and rescued them.
All 582 passengers who were stuck inside the Mumbai monorail that was stalled between two stations due to a technical snag amid torrential rain in the city were rescued after nearly four hours, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The rescue operation was carried out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the fire brigade on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred around 6:15 pm when the monorail, which was fully packed with passengers, came to a sudden halt on its elevated track following a power supply issue. The passengers were stranded inside the rake and sky ladders were pressed into action to rescue them.
The rake was stuck between Bhakti Park and the Chembur station near the Mysore Colony. Twelve passengers who complained of suffocation and breathlessness during the ordeal have been hospitalised. Their conditions are reported to be stable and would soon be discharged from the hospital, officials said.
“I was on the train from 5:30 pm. The rescue operation started after one hour. There were at least 500 passengers on the train. This train arrived after a gap of 30 minutes, so the entire train was overloaded with passengers,” a passenger who was rescued told news agency ANI.
During the rescue operations, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that he was in contact with the concerned officials and has ordered an enquiry into the incident. He also urged the passengers not to panic.
In a tweet, Fadnavis had assured that all passengers would be safely evacuated and requested everyone to remain patient.
“Due to some technical reason, a monorail is stuck between Chembur and Bhakti Park. MMRDA, the fire brigade, and the municipal corporation, 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,” tweeted Fadnavis.
“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,” he further added.
Elaborating on the incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that many people took the monorail since the Harbour Line was closed due to heavy rain, leading to overcrowding inside the train and a subsequent power breakdown.
“Due to the closure of the Harbour Line, several passengers started travelling on the monorail. This led to overcrowding on the train, and a power breakdown occurred. Due to the power breakdown, emergency brakes were applied and the train stopped,” said Shinde.
