Mumbai Monorail Services Likely to Resume by End of September
Passenger services on the Mumbai Monorail are expected to resume by the end of September, coinciding with the planned completion of the Mahalaxmi multimodal connectivity project, according to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
The 19.54-kilometre Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk–Chembur Monorail corridor has been shut for several months to undergo comprehensive technological and safety upgrades. While a formal resumption date is yet to be announced, trial runs are currently taking place alongside the completion of remaining station and system works.
The simultaneous reopening of the Monorail and launch of the Mahalaxmi facility will connect the line with Metro Line 3 and the Western Railway suburban network. The Mahalaxmi Multimodal Connectivity Project, currently around 90 percent complete, features India's first travelator-equipped skywalk. The 283-metre-long and 11-metre-wide structure includes six travelators covering a total length of 176 metres, two passenger lifts, and capacity for roughly 4,500 commuters per hour, cutting interchange times by nearly 20 minutes.
At the other end of the corridor, the newly opened Chembur station on Metro Line 2B will provide another key interchange point. The VN Purav Monorail station sits roughly 50 metres from the Chembur Metro 2B station, which was inaugurated on August 13. This interchange will facilitate transfers for commuters travelling towards the Bandra-Kurla Complex, Chembur, and surrounding eastern and western suburban destinations.
During the shutdown, MMRDA overhauled the Monorail infrastructure by installing a Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system, inducting 10 new Made-in-India rakes, and refurbishing the existing fleet. The new signalling system provides continuous communication between trains and the central control room to improve operational safety.
Mandatory safety formalities for the CBTC system are complete, and MMRDA is carrying out final operational procedures. The authority has also floated a Rs 3.79-crore tender for annual maintenance of security equipment at stations, including baggage inspection systems, metal detectors, and explosive detection devices.
