The newly delivered rake was being shifted from one guideway beam to another when it slipped; officials say they were conducting a series of advanced system tests
The guide beam was switched on one side, and the train went on the other side, due to which the front rake of the train hit the beam, lifting it up in the air. Illustration/Uday Mohite
A swank new rake of the Mumbai Monorail suffered severe damage after it derailed and hit the guide beams (while switching tracks) during a trial run at the Wadala depot on Wednesday morning. Officials said there were no passengers inside the train. The motorman and staff were reportedly injured in the incident; however, MMRDA officials refuted the claim and said no one was injured.
The monorail operator, and another technical staff member, was conducting the trials on Wednesday morning at the Wadala depot
Officials said the newly delivered monorail rake was undergoing a trial run and was being shifted from one guideway beam to another when it slipped, triggering an emergency response. The guide beam was switched on one side, and the train went on the other side, due to which the front rake of the train hit the beam, lifting it up in the air. Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd. (MMMOCL) officials said they were conducting a series of advanced system trials and tests under its ongoing technology upgradation programme.
The front rake of the monorail slipped when the operator was trying to switch tracks, triggering an emergency response
“These include the testing of the new Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology on the monorail system, which is being implemented by Medha SMH Rail Pvt. Ltd., the designated contractor for the project. During one of these routine signalling trials this morning, a minor incident occurred, and the situation was immediately brought under control with no injuries reported to any staff or personnel,” an MMMOCL spokesperson said.
Monorail rake lifted in air due to impact with guide beams. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
“Two technical staff members, including the monorail operator, were conducting the trials. The exercise was carried out in a fully protected environment, strictly adhering to all safety protocols. These trials are designed to simulate extreme or ‘worst-case’ scenarios to evaluate system responses and ensure complete preparedness before actual deployment. Hence, such controlled situations are a part of the standard testing process,” the spokesperson added.
“MMMOCL assures that these are only internal system trials. Citizens are therefore requested not to panic. Regular trials, being conducted by Medha SMH Rail Pvt. Ltd., remain unaffected. To maintain project timelines and minimise inconvenience to commuters, some of these trials are also being conducted on holidays,” said another official.
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