Monorail phase-2 dead on arrival?

Mumbai: When India’s first monorail was inaugurated in February 2014, it was supposed to change the travel experience of commuters in the city. However, after missing more than 10 deadlines for commissioning of the 10.24-km-long phase-2 monorail from Wadala to Jacob Circle, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), could not complete the trial runs and commission the same in 2016. Also, the authority hasn’t been successful in completing trial runs for the project, despite claiming that the civil works were almost completed.

Furthermore, the commissioning of the phase-2, which, after several extensions, was expected in February 2017, has been extended to June 2017 now due to a probable delay in trial runs. Trial runs between Wadala and Jacob Circle got delayed due to the unavailability of the conductor rail, which was damaged in October, taking another three months for procurement from a firm in the UK.

Ever since phase I of the Mumbai monorail was commissioned, its operations have regularly been in the news owing to constant breakdowns. In 2016, monorail services have been disrupted thrice owing to problems related to tyre bursts or tyre fall of the rolling stocks. In 2015, monorail services were disrupted several times due to problems like doors of rolling stock opening or the problem in the electrification of the current to the monorail rakes.

The project was awarded to Larsen & Toubro and Scomi Engineering of Malaysia, in 2008.  Since then MMRDA has had many ups and downs with respect to the project, such as the rolling stock creating technical issues, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) coming down heavily on MMRDA, citing irregularities.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Khandare, additional metropolitan commissioner has maintained that there are no problems and the second phase is well on track. He said, “We are very well on track and we are going to start the trial runs soon, which will take us another one month. This will be followed by the completion of trial runs. After receiving other clearances, we will commission the second phase.”