Mumbai Monorail Mishap: The Mumbai Monorail derailed during a trial run on Wednesday morning. The accident occurred near Wadala Depot Station, damaging a new rack of the Mumbai Monorail. At the time of the accident, only the train captain and a company engineer were on board. The Mumbai Monorail is the only monorail service in the entire country. This monorail service, running between Chembur and Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk, has been temporarily closed since September 20 for upgradation.
According to initial information, the accident happened while changing tracks. Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) stated in an official statement that it is currently conducting a series of advanced system trials as part of its ongoing technology upgradation program. A minor incident occurred during one of these routine signalling trials. However, the situation was immediately brought under control, and no employee or other person was injured in this incident. Two technical staff members, including the monorail operator, were conducting the test at the time. The test was conducted in a completely safe environment, with all safety protocols strictly adhered to.
According to preliminary information, the accident occurred due to the malfunctioning of signalling equipment. Reports suggest that due to some technical issue, the operation control room could not ascertain the train's actual location, and the Guideway Beam Switch was moved when the rack was at the switch point, leading to the accident.
It is noteworthy that the 'Guideway Beam Switch' is a complex switching system used to divert monorail trains from one track to another.
Previously, on the evening of August 19, the monorail heading towards Chembur had stopped midway in the Wadala area due to a technical snag. Passengers were stranded for several hours and had to be rescued by breaking the windows.
For the first time, Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) technology is being introduced in the Mumbai Monorail. The CBTC technology has been developed in Hyderabad. Five electronic interlockings, 260 Wi-Fi access points, 500 RFID tags, 90 train detection systems, and several safety devices have been installed. Their testing is also underway. This system will reduce the interval between trains and make services safer and more reliable.
Additionally, 10 new racks have been procured from MEDHA company under the 'Make in India' initiative. The repair and upgradation of old racks will also be carried out during this period to ensure services are free from technical glitches.
