Heavy rains wreaked havoc across Mumbai on Tuesday evening, stalling a monorail between Chembur and Bhakti Park around 6:15 pm and leaving nearly 100 passengers stranded for over an hour. The disruption, caused by a power supply failure, took place on an elevated stretch near Mysore Colony, as per officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
The situation quickly escalated, with videos circulating on social media showing anxious passengers trapped inside the monorail attempting to break open windows. “One Monorail train near Mysore Colony station has experienced a minor power supply issue. Our operations and maintenance teams are already on-site and working to resolve it quickly. For now, services between Wadala and Chembur are running smoothly on a single line. We sincerely thank you for your patience and assure you that your safety remains our top priority,” stated the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation.
In a swift response, stranded commuters dialed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) emergency helpline number 1916. The civic body confirmed, “In the emergency situation, passengers immediately contacted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s helpline number 1916 for assistance.” The Mumbai Fire Brigade rushed to the scene shortly after, deploying three snorkel vehicles for the rescue.
Monorail Rescue Hit by Jammed Brakes
Rescue teams initially tried to tow the four-coach rake using another monorail, but operations hit a snag as the brakes of the stalled train were found jammed, according to officials. Firefighters and emergency personnel continued evacuation efforts late into the evening, with some passengers still trapped close to 8:00 pm. A medical team was deployed on-site, and nearby municipal hospitals were placed on standby.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the incident after a cabinet meeting, assured the public that all steps were being taken for passenger safety. “A monorail train had stalled between Chembur and Bhakti Park due to technical reasons. Passenger safety is our top priority. There is no need to panic. All passengers will be safely evacuated. I urge everyone to remain calm,” he stated. He further added, “An inquiry will be conducted,” and noted that he was in touch with top officials from MMRDA, BMC, and the police.
The monorail snag occurred amid relentless rainfall that has battered Mumbai and its surrounding regions for the past two days. According to IMD, the city received a record-breaking 300 mm of rainfall, prompting a red alert multiple times during the day. The latest warning was issued at 4:00 pm for Mumbai and neighboring districts such as Thane, Palghar, and Raigad, warning of “intense to very intense rainfall accompanied by gusty winds reaching 40–60 kmph.”
Mumbai Local Trains Disrupted by Severe Waterlogging
Suburban train operations—the city’s primary transport backbone—were also hit severely. Local train services on both the Central and Harbour lines were suspended temporarily due to waterlogging, particularly between CSMT and Thane and Kurla and CSMT. In some areas, tracks were submerged under nearly 17 inches of water. Although services resumed after hours, commuters faced major delays and hardships.
The downpour also affected flight schedules at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. By Tuesday evening, average delays reached 40 minutes, with at least 17 go-arounds and 11 diversions reported throughout the day. Eight diversions occurred between 9:00 and 9:50 am alone.
The Chief Minister confirmed the rain’s devastating toll: between August 15 and 19, 21 deaths have been reported across Maharashtra due to weather-related incidents. Schools, colleges, and many government offices were closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure under the red alert warning.
The monorail mishap has added to the city’s growing infrastructure challenges during the monsoon. “Our teams are committed to resolving the issue swiftly,” reiterated MMRDA. While rescue operations progressed into the night, all agencies involved assured the public that safety remains the top priority.
