CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal / Mumbai : Over 780 passengers were rescued from two overcrowded Monorail trains in Mumbai on Tuesday evening after heavy rainfall caused the trains to stall, leading to panic among commuters.
One Monorail train halted near Mysore Colony, tilting to one side, while another was stranded near Wadala Bridge. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said overcrowding, combined with the disruption of suburban local train services due to the downpour, led to a power failure.
Authorities deployed snorkel ladders to rescue 582 passengers from the train stuck between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park, which could not be towed. Another 200 passengers were evacuated from the Wadala-bound train, which was successfully towed back to the station.
A senior official involved in the rescue revealed that some panic-stricken passengers contemplated jumping from the elevated tracks. Fire department teams spread jumping sheets on the ground as a precaution. A few commuters reported suffocation, and a couple fainted after the air-conditioning and electricity shut down, though only one passenger required hospitalization.
“People were scared. Our priority was to prevent panic from turning into tragedy. Officers were deployed into the coaches to calm passengers, and all were safely rescued,” the official added.
The incident highlights the challenges of managing public transport overcrowding during extreme weather and underscores the need for emergency preparedness in Mumbai’s monorail network.
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