Illustration/Uday Mohite

The stampede that took place on the foot overbridge connecting the Elphinstone Road and Parel railway stations, killing 22 people on the spot on Friday, has once again exposed the government's hollow promises regarding the development of Mumbai's transportation facilities and infrastructure. Even as this incident instills fresh fear in the minds of commuters, some of the city's hi-tech transportation projects — monorail, AC local train and BKC's hybrid bus service — still remains a distant dream. After being delayed multiple times in the past couple of years, the services are expected to start by year-end, a deadline that still seems quite unrealistic, given the problems the projects are facing.