On Tuesday evening, panic and discomfort gripped hundreds of passengers after a Mumbai monorail came to a halt between two stations, leaving them trapped inside for over an hour before rescue operations began. Passengers recalled that the train was severely overcrowded as it had arrived after a gap of 30 minutes, resulting in more than 500 people being crammed inside the rake. Many of them shared their ordeal on camera after being rescued by the BMC and the fire brigade, describing the experience as suffocating and distressing, particularly for senior citizens and children.
One of the passengers, Sunil, explained that he had boarded the train at 5:30 pm, but rescue efforts began only an hour later. He emphasized that the unusually long gap between trains had caused overcrowding, making the situation more difficult when the train came to a standstill. Another passenger recounted that suffocation became the biggest challenge as the packed compartment included several senior citizens and children who struggled due to the lack of ventilation. Despite the challenges, passengers largely remained patient while awaiting help.
The technical snag occurred around 6:15 pm between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations when the train, running on an elevated track, suffered what officials later described as a minor power supply issue. The problem left the monorail stranded for more than two hours, prompting authorities to rush in teams for assistance. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde confirmed that the incident was triggered by a power failure and acknowledged that the overcrowding worsened the situation. He assured that rescue efforts were carried out promptly and that almost all passengers were safely evacuated.
According to the latest reports, 497 passengers were successfully rescued, while a few more were still awaiting evacuation at the time of the update. Those rescued were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment and medical evaluation, ensuring that any cases of suffocation or stress could be addressed without delay. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the reliability of the monorail service in Mumbai, especially during peak hours when crowding is unavoidable.
