This is an archive article published on September 30, 2022
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Mumbai Monorail to add one more rake in fleet, built with indigenous components
The transport undertaking had earlier terminated the contract with SCOMI, which was the original developer and operator of the service, over failure to fulfill contractual obligations.
With the addition of the new rake, there will now be eight monoral rakes in service. Due to shortage of rakes, Monorail services are erratic, with one rake expected to run every 22 minutes.
Mumbai’s beleaguered Monorail service is soon set to get a new rake, which will help improve the frequency of services on the line.
The new rake was compiled indigenously in Wadala. “This new rake was already provided by the Ex-Contractor Scomi engineering, the Malaysia-based company. However, it was never used as it was unfit for operations. We have fitted it with the requisite machinery that was procured indigenously and have assembled the rake here in Mumbai,” the official said.
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The transport undertaking had earlier terminated the contract with SCOMI, which was the original developer and operator of the service, over failure to fulfill contractual obligations.
“The rake did not have any spare parts and there were not even seats inside. Thus, it was deemed unfit for operations. We have built the rake using indigenous components completely. And now it is ready for operations. In the next few days, the said rake will be added to the fleet.”
With the addition of the new rake, there will now be eight monoral rakes in service. Due to shortage of rakes, Monorail services are erratic, with one rake expected to run every 22 minutes. However, many a time, the schedule is difficult to meet with passengers complaining of delays in monorail services. With the addition of the new rake, services are expected every 15 minutes.
With the introduction of the new rake, completely in-built by the Monorail authority, it is expected that the ridership will go up to 25,000 daily, with the number of trips increasing to 142, the official informed. Currently, the Mumbai monorail has seven rakes in operation and the frequency of service is every 22 minutes. The monorail logs 15,000 ridership daily and does a total of 114 trips everyday.
Meanwhile, the transport authority, which has ordered 10 new monorail rakes, is expected to obtain the first prototype by April 2023. Indian manufacturing company, Medha Servo Drives Private Limited, has been awarded the contract of designing these rakes.
With the addition of the new rake, there will now be eight monoral rakes in service. Due to shortage of rakes, Monorail services are erratic, with one rake expected to run every 22 minutes. 
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