Maharashtra
Mumbai Monorail Connecting Chembur To Jacob Circle Near Mahalaxmi, Set For Makeover With New 5-Year Private Operator Plan
Mumbai: In a renewed push to revive Mumbai’s long-struggling monorail system, the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL), a wing of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is preparing to appoint a single private operator for its operation and maintenance through a five-year contract.
The 19.54-km monorail corridor connecting Chembur to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk (Jacob Circle) has faced technical setbacks and service disruptions since its commercial debut on February 2, 2014. These challenges worsened after MMRDA terminated its contract with the original consortium, Scomi Engineering and Larsen & Toubro, in December 2018 due to poor performance.
Several Issues With Monorail Operations
Since then, the monorail has been running under short-term annual contracts with different private operators, resulting in coordination gaps and accountability issues. “Whenever a delay or breakdown occurs, there’s confusion over responsibility,” said an MMMOCL official, The new single-operator model aims to resolve this by ensuring end-to-end responsibility for operations and maintenance.
Despite the induction of new rakes, service reliability remains low. According to the report, on July 28, only one train ran the entire route, even though eight older rakes and seven newly procured ones were available. An eighth new rake is expected this month, with two more likely to arrive by November. These trains, supplied by Hyderabad-based Medha Servo Drives, are yet to receive full safety clearances for passenger service.
To boost efficiency, MMMOCL has floated a Rs 300 crore tender covering the entire system, 17 stations and the Wadala depot. The new contract excludes joint ventures, restricting eligibility to single bidders only.
Under its 2024 revival plan, MMMOCL aims to deploy 12 trains daily, eight refurbished and ten new ones, with two trains kept on standby and four reserved for scheduled maintenance. Originally, Scomi was supposed to supply 15 rakes, but only 10 were delivered before the agreement collapsed.
What’s The Current Status?
Currently, the monorail is scheduled to run 142 services per weekday, with each train covering around 350 km between 5:48 am and 11:00 pm. However, due to frequent technical snags and limited operational rakes, these targets are often unmet. Officials hope the new long-term operator model will bring stability, accountability and much-needed reliability to Mumbai’s first and only monorail corridor.
Maharashtra
Mumbai arms supplier arrested from Ghatkopar depot

Mumbai: Police has claimed to have arrested an arms supplier from Ghatkopar Bus Depot who had come here to supply arms to Mumbai. The Mumbai Police Ghatkopar Anti-Gang Squad received information about this. The police laid a trap and took the accused into custody and recovered two country-made pistols and four live cartridges from his possession. During the investigation, the police asked him his name and he revealed his name as Ajay Kailash, a resident of Ujjain. The police have registered a case in this matter and started the investigation. Pantnagar Police has started the investigation in this matter to find out from where the accused had brought the arms to supply arms. This action was taken by DCP Rakesh Ola on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.
Crime
Thane: Man Stabbed To Death In Dombivali Hotel After Minor Altercation

Thane: A man was stabbed to death in Dombivali in Thane district during an altercation after he accidentally brushed against another person, a police official said on Monday.
The incident took place in a hotel in the early hours of Sunday in MIDC Phase 1 area, the Manpada police station official said.
“Akash Bhanu Singh (38) and his friends were having dinner at the hotel when he accidentally brushed against the accused, who picked up a fight. He along with some others stabbed Singh to death. Two of Singh’s friends, who tried to save him, also sustained injuries and have been hospitalised,” the official said.
Four persons were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for murder and other offences, though no arrest has been made, he said.
Crime
‘Don’t You Know Marathi?’: Vadapav Vendor & Two Others Assaulted By Four Men Over Language Dispute In Kalyan

Mumbai: In a troubling incident on Sunday night in Kalyan East near Chakkinaaka and Santoshnagar, a vadapav vendor and two of his companions were brutally assaulted by four men. The attack occurred after the assailants asked the vendor, “Do you know how to speak Marathi?” and began the assault when he did not respond affirmatively.
The vendor, identified as Vishnu Thapa, and his co-workers told police at the Colsewadi station that they work at a small eatery named Riddhi Bhojanalay. Around 8 pm two unknown men arrived at the shop, ate food and left. They returned shortly after and confronted Thapa with the question “Marathi yet nahi ka?” (“Don’t you know Marathi?”). Without waiting for a response they started beating him. He suffered serious injury to his nose in the first attack.
After the two men left, Thapa and his colleagues resumed work. Minutes later the men returned, this time bringing two others. The group of four again raised the language question and launched a fresh attack. Co-worker Madan Thapa was hit with a stone slab. Another colleague, Ali Khan, had his mobile phone smashed to the floor amid the chaos. The assailants also vandalised the shop, throwing food, utensils and trays outside.
The three victims were taken to hospital for treatment. A First Information Report has been registered at the Colsewadi police station and investigations are underway, with Police Constable Jadhav assigned to the case. Locals say the area has long been troubled by harassment of street vendors and extortion attempts; some offenders had been removed by police about 18 months ago.
The incident has raised serious concerns among workers and local vendors who feel vulnerable in the wake of such attacks. For many migrants eating and operating in the city, language and region should not become triggers for violence. City police have been urged to increase patrols in the zone and ensure protection for small street-vendors, especially during late evening hours.
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