On the congested streets of Mumbai, a normal evening rush hour became a disaster on August 19, 2025, as heavy rain and overcrowding resulted in two monorail trains breaking down in the middle of the track. Scores of passengers were stranded suspended high in the air, leading to a dramatic three-hour rescue operation. Authorities attributed a power outage caused by overloaded weight as evidence of lasting problems in the city’s public transport system during monsoons.
Monorail News
The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 pm between the Bhakti Park and Mysore Colony stations, where a train inclined slightly and lost power, leaving passengers in cramped coaches stranded. A second train stopped close to Wadala Bridge shortly after. Fire brigade officials reached the area, rescuing people through ladders and emergency exits. There were no critical injuries, with some of the passengers fainting from fear and a shortage of oxygen.
Monorail Latest News
By late night, all 782 passengers—582 from the first and about 200 from the second—had been rescued. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an investigation into the technical glitch. At the same time, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde emphasised that suspended Harbour line trains owing to flooding pushed more people onto the monorail. The trains restarted operations the following day after inspections, with officials ensuring better crowd management.
Monorail Mumbai
Mumbai’s monorail, which began in 2014, travels 19 km from Chembur to Jacob Circle, establishing an essential link in the eastern suburbs. It’s India’s only operational monorail, constructed for speedy, elevated travel to ease traffic congestion. However, monsoons have a way of bringing out vulnerabilities, like waterlogging of electricity cables.
Monorail Stuck
The trains got stranded when the overloading exceeded the 104-metric-tonne limit to 109 tonnes in one rake. This broke contact between the power rail and the current collector, cutting power. Battery backup operated for only an hour, shutting off AC and lighting, and causing suffocation complaints. Passengers broke windows for ventilation, screaming for help in the rain.
Monorail Speed
Most of the time, these trains speed along at up to 80 km/h, averaging 32 km/h for economical city hops. But in the stall, speed had been dropped to zero, so a fast trip was terror. Experts say it’s the balanced loads that allow for top speeds, and overloading disrupts them.
Monorail Crane
Rescue teams employed two cranes to lower commuters to safety from the top rails, a crucial step in view of the 10-meter altitude. In addition to snorkel ladders and jumping sheets at the platform level, this deterred jumping off by terrified commuters. The cranes ‘ accuracy avoided any falls, finishing the exercise at 10 pm.
Monorail Instrument
Critical systems like signalling systems and operations control centre (OCC) monitor the fleet, but the power flaw skirted around these safeguards. Communication systems helped coordinate the rescue, but passengers criticised the lack of onboard safety equipment to provide better ventilation in case of failure.
Monorail Beam
This is sustained by precast 50-55-tonne concrete beams that form a rigid guideway. In this instance, the beam did not yield despite tilting, proving the strength of the structure. Heavy rain may have indirectly stressed the system because of the added weight from water.
Monorail vs Metro
Though it is less expensive and faster to set up and build compared to the metro, it manages less capacity—up to 10,000 passengers an hour in either direction against the metro’s larger capacity. Mumbai’s metro lines, which are growing exponentially, offer greater reliability during the rains, but the monorail excels in confined spaces. This mishap highlights the imperative of hybrid systems to overcome monsoon fury.
Finally, the scare reminds Mumbaiites of the vagaries of nature and the urgency for robust transport improvements. With the rains abating from August 21, focus shifts to preventing future halts.
FAQs
Where is the monorail in India?
Mumbai is the only city in India to operate a monorail, which operates at a speed of 65 km per hour.
Why did the monorail fail in India?
There are many reasons for the failure of its in India, some of them are high project costs, lengthy delays, technical issues, low ridership, and operational losses.
Which country has a monorail?
It can be found in several countries like Japan, China, the United States and Germany.
Why is the monorail famous for?
These are often famous for their unique design and potential for urban transportation, especially in areas with space constraints or where aesthetics are a priority.
Where is the longest monorail?
The longest monorail line in the world is Line 3 of the Chongqing Rail Transit system in China. It spans 67.09 km and utilises a straddle-type monorail system.
