Key Points
- Suspension Period: Mumbai Monorail services on the entire Chembur to Saat Rasta route are suspended starting Saturday, September 20, 2025, for at least two months.
- Reason for Shutdown: The suspension is to allow for a major system overhaul following a series of technical glitches and service disruptions, including seven in the last month alone.
- Major Upgrades: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will induct 10 new ‘Make-in-India’ rakes, install an advanced signalling system (CBTC), and refurbish the existing fleet.
- Goal of Revamp: The upgrades aim to improve safety, increase service frequency from every 20-25 minutes to every 8-10 minutes, and enhance overall reliability.
- Passenger Inconvenience: The shutdown forces the approximately 18,000 daily commuters to find alternative modes of transport, such as buses, causing widespread dissatisfaction.
Mumbai: Starting today, Saturday, September 20, 2025, Mumbai’s monorail services on the entire 19.54-km route from Chembur to Saat Rasta (Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk) have been temporarily suspended. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) announced that the shutdown will last for at least two months to facilitate a comprehensive system upgrade aimed at improving safety and long-term reliability.
Frequent Breakdowns Force Drastic Action
The decision follows a string of persistent technical failures that have plagued the transit system, which has often been labeled an “infrastructure white elephant”. In the past month alone, there were at least seven service disruptions. The most severe incident occurred on August 19, when heavy rains caused two trains to stall, leaving 1,148 passengers stranded and requiring emergency evacuation. Another breakdown on September 15 left 17 passengers stuck mid-journey, further highlighting the system’s unreliability.
MMRDA officials explained that the limited 3.5-hour window available for maintenance overnight is insufficient for the scale of upgrades required, making a complete suspension necessary for uninterrupted work.
A Three-Pronged Upgrade Plan
The suspension will allow engineers to carry out a much-needed overhaul, focusing on three key areas:
- New Rolling Stock: Ten new ‘Make-in-India’ rakes, procured from Medha Servo Drives in collaboration with SMH Rail, will be integrated into the system. Eight of these new trains have already been delivered.
- Advanced Signalling: An indigenously developed Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) system is being installed. This modern signalling technology is expected to enhance safety and reduce the interval between trains from the current 20-25 minutes to a more efficient 8-10 minutes.
- Fleet Refurbishment: The existing, older rakes will undergo a complete overhauling and retrofitting process to fix recurring glitches and improve their performance.
Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, the Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, described the shutdown as a “carefully thought-out step to rejuvenate the Monorail,” ensuring it becomes “safer, more dependable, and future-ready”. While the move has caused significant inconvenience for daily commuters, officials have urged for patience, stating that the monorail will return in a “stronger form”.
