Monorail phase 2 trial runs likely to begin by October

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to inaugurate the second phase of monorail between Jacob Circle and Wadala right before civic polls in February 2017, and trial runs for the same are expected to begin by October this year.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials have been conducting weekly review meetings for the past six months to commission the second phase by December 2016. “We are on the verge of completing civil works for the project. At the moment, we are expecting the remaining one switch required for monorail to arrive anytime soon and simultaneously, we are carrying out necessary work for electrification,” said an MMRDA official.

Commissioning of the 10.24-km-long phase-2 of monorail from Wadala to Jacob Circle has been delayed due to non-availability of track switching equipment and pending civil work. The project, pegged at Rs 2,700 crore in 2008, was awarded to Larsen & Toubro and Malaysia-based Scoomi Engineering.

Furthermore, MMRDA is mulling appointment of a contractor to conduct safety assessment of the project who will be responsible for monitoring trial runs on the monorail stretch after which MMRDA will have to apply for a safety certificate from the commissioner of railway safety.

MMRDA is also set to increase fare structure for the monorail after commencement of the second phase. Currently, MMRDA charges Rs 5 to Rs 11 between Wadala and Chembur depending on the distance travelled, due to which the body has been incurring losses of Rs 10 lakh per day despite the number of commuters using monorail having increased from approximately 14,000 to 19,000 per day.

“Increasing the fares currently could demotivate people from travelling in the already empty monorail and so, we will propose the new fare structure only after the commencement of second phase,” added the MMRDA official.