Suspension of services, with no timeline for restoration, threatens to leave scores of contract staff jobless; termination notices already being served to employees
Fire brigade officers get to work after a Monorail service was disrupted last month. Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
The Maharashtra government’s suspension of Monorail services from September 20 has left scores of contract staff jobless, with contractors under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) operating arm, Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMOMCL), now serving termination notices. Now, the staffers are scrambling to figure out their next steps.
A letter from one contractor, accessed by mid-day, reads: “Your last working day would be October 25, 2025,” formally ending the employment of dozens of engineers, technicians, and ground staff who had kept the troubled system running for years. While the decision to suspend services was expected, employees say the abrupt manner of their dismissal is “inhuman.”
The staff at the monorail station. Pic/By Special Arrangement
“We understand that running the Monorail has become impractical and costly, but why should employees pay the price overnight? Some of us have been here since the beginning, and now suddenly we are left with just 30 days to pack up our lives on the eve of Diwali,” said a mid-level engineer who requested anonymity.
Another staffer added, “At least a rehabilitation plan or redeployment in other MMRDA projects could have been considered. Just sending a termination email is heartless.” MMRDA officials said contractors are only following instructions after MMOMCL’s suspension order, but the absence of a transition plan has drawn criticism.
Transport experts warn this could set a precedent for other projects. “It is practical from the government’s standpoint to suspend the Monorail, as ridership and costs never justified its operations. But from the employees’ perspective, the decision is inhuman. At least a social safety net should have been in place,” said a senior transport planner.
Launched in 2014 and once hailed as Mumbai’s “future-ready” transit system, the Monorail has struggled with frequent breakdowns, safety issues, and low ridership. Its suspension leaves employees staring at uncertainty — and Mumbai with yet another white elephant.
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