Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to commission 10 monorail rakes to bring the loss-making transport body back to profitability. Three and half year after MMRDA floated tenders, the first rake have arrived in Mumbai.
At present, there are 10 trains on the route from Chembur to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk and 142 trips are being run every 15 minutes.
The rake will undergo dynamic trials after which it will be added in the system for passenger services. By adding 10 new monorail trains, the frequency of service can potentially increase to 250+ trips.
With this, commuters can expect a significant improvement in frequency. It will also reduce intervals to at least 5 minutes.
These trains will be deployed for passenger service after the approval of security officials including Railway Safety Commissioner. Moreover, the new coaches will accommodate at least 10% more passengers than the current capacity of approximately 568 passengers per train.
It is expected to increase the monorail ridership. Moreover, plans are being made to connect the monorail stations and the newly constructed metro line. Owing to this, passengers will get relief and Mono's income will also increase.
The MMRDA has procured these rakes from Medha SMH Rail Pvt Ltd. Given that an Indian firm has been selected under the Make in India initiative, it will be easier to source spare parts for maintenance, which will contribute to better maintenance of the system.
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