MMRDA to appoint experts to probe monorail disruption

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is going to appoint a panel of independent technical experts to investigate the disruption of power supply on the main and the backup line, which led to monorail services being disrupted for more than four hours on Sunday.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is going to appoint a panel of independent technical experts to investigate the disruption of power supply on the main and the backup line, which led to monorail services being disrupted for more than four hours on Sunday.

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Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has already ordered a probe into the incident, where 11 commuters and the monorail captain were stuck for more than one hour after the power tripped.

“If the power from the main line is discontinued, the backup line should supply power to the monorail. However, both lines got affected at the same time. We are going to appoint a panel with technical experts to find out what led to the incident. It will find out if there was any lacuna in the system or any deficiency in maintenance,” said UPS Madan, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioner. “It will also suggest measures to check technical snags and improve overall service.”

MMRDA officials suspect the underground power cable near Bhakti Park station was broken, which resulted in the power failure. The MMRDA and the operator — L&T and Scomi Engineering — will dig up the area near the station to check the power cables.

Also, the MMRDA has started encasing the cables with pipes. “Digging activities by various agencies may damage them” said an official.