MMRDA seeks private agency for Mumbai Monorail operation and maintenance for five years
The 19.5-kilometre Mumbai Monorail route from Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk to Chembur has ticket prices ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 40, depending on the distance travelled.
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Currently, the monorail's week-day ridership is 16,000, with weekend ridership at 10,000. With a proposed multimodal integration plan, daily ridership is expected to exceed 1.5 lakh.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), responsible for the Mumbai Monorail, is seeking a private agency to manage its operation and maintenance for a five-year period. Bids are open to expert agencies, including global companies, with the announcement made on Wednesday, March 13. The last date for bid submission is May 16.
The 19.5-kilometre Mumbai Monorail route from Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk to Chembur has ticket prices ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 40, depending on the distance travelled. Currently, the monorail operates with eight rakes at a frequency of 18 minutes, completing 118 trips between the end-points.
Due to losses amounting to Rs 524 crore in 2023-24, the MMRDA merged the Monorail Project Implementation Unit with the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation in January. This merger aims to enhance operations, reduce costs, and save expenses. Regarding the decision to engage a private agency, officials stated they are reviewing various suggestions.
Due to low ridership, MMRDA plans to expand its fleet by adding 10 more rakes to provide efficient services. However, the delivery of the first prototype of the new rake, expected by December last year, is pending. Additionally, the plan to construct a travellator at Jacob Circle to connect with the upcoming Metro Line 3 and suburban railway stations, collectively known as Mahalaxmi, is on hold. Officials mentioned that the integration plan will be considered based on the response from agencies for operation and maintenance.
Currently, the monorail’s week-day ridership is 16,000, with weekend ridership at 10,000. With a proposed multimodal integration plan, daily ridership is expected to exceed 1.5 lakh.
The Monorail was initially being operated and maintained by a Malaysian-based company SCOMI Engineering. In 2019, MMRDA took over the monorail, since the company failed to fulfil contractual obligations.
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