The Mumbai Suburban District Emergency Management Authority (DEMA) has asked Monorail and Metro operators to submit their emergency management plans to make sure that there is quick and effective action during public transport emergencies.
The authority also stressed the need for regular mock drills and routine reviews of standard operating procedures. These directions were issued on Wednesday, October 29, during a joint meeting of the Mumbai City and Suburban DEMAs at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.
The decision followed the August 19 monorail breakdown near Bhakti Park in Chembur. A technical fault had stopped the monorail between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park, leaving several passengers stranded for hours. After this, officials assessed the city’s response systems for similar situations in the future.
The meeting was held to strengthen coordination among agencies and to review the city’s emergency preparedness. Senior officials, including BMC Director of Disaster Management Mahesh Narvekar, attended the meeting. Dr Vipin Sharma and Dr Ashwini Joshi, chairpersons of the suburban and city DEMAs, were also present.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr Amit Saini and Dr Ravi Sinha from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay also participated. Representatives from Mumbai Police, Adani Electricity, Tata Power, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), and the State Disaster Control Room were in attendance.
All agencies operating metro and monorail services have been instructed to share their standard operating procedures and emergency management plans with the DEMA and the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs). Dr Ashwini Joshi also directed that frequent drills be conducted at metro and monorail stations to ensure preparedness and effective response in case of any incident.