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Maharashtra

Mumbai Monorail Undergoes Independent Safety Tests On New Rakes Before Suspended Services Can Resume

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Monorail is currently undergoing independent safety assessment testing on newly procured rakes, a key step before the suspended system can resume commercial operations, according to officials familiar with the process.

The safety assessment is being conducted as a third-party audit, with reports submitted to a state government–appointed engineer who functions at a level comparable to the Commission of Rail Safety. The engineer reviews and verifies the findings before giving final clearance for commercial operations, sources said.

Unlike the metro system, which requires approval from the Commission of Metro Rail Safety, the monorail falls under the Indian Tramway Act, and therefore follows a different regulatory framework. The ongoing tests are being carried out on new rolling stock that will be inducted into the fleet once all statutory approvals are obtained.

The Mumbai Monorail services have been suspended since September 20 last year following repeated technical breakdowns that raised serious safety concerns. MMRDA halted operations to allow for major upgrades, including the induction of new rakes, deployment of advanced communications-based control (CBC) signalling, and refurbishment of the existing fleet.

MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee had earlier said the shutdown was a planned step to rejuvenate the system. “By inducting new rakes, deploying advanced CBC signalling, and refurbishing the existing fleet, we are ensuring that the system becomes safer, more dependable, and future-ready,” he said, adding that the authority values commuters’ patience and aims to restore confidence in the system.

The suspension followed a series of incidents in 2025, including a breakdown near Mukundrao Ambedkar Road junction, where a train stalled while travelling from Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk to Chembur, trapping 17 passengers. Though commuters were evacuated using a parallel rake, passengers complained of discomfort and suffocation during the delay, raising questions over emergency preparedness.

Earlier, a major breakdown on August last year stranded nearly 600 passengers near Mysore Colony station and another 200 near Acharya Atre Nagar station, with heavy rain hampering rescue operations. Several commuters required medical assistance after ventilation systems failed.

MMRDA has cited limited maintenance windows as a key challenge, noting that daily operations left only about 3.5 hours at night for installation and testing, as power rails need to be shut down, discharged and recharged before each day’s services.

The Mumbai Monorail, launched in February 2014 on an initial 8.8-km Chembur–Wadala stretch and extended to Jacob Circle in 2019, has struggled with reliability and ridership. The Rs 2,450-crore project was initially projected to carry around 30 lakh commuters per month after full commissioning, but frequent breakdowns and service disruptions kept ridership far below expectations.

The project was awarded in 2008 to a consortium of L&T and Malaysia’s Scomi, but MMRDA terminated Scomi’s contract in 2018 after repeated failures and has since taken over operations.

MMRDA has procured 10 new Make-in-India monorail rakes from Medha in collaboration with SMH Rail. These rakes will be deployed only after safety approvals are secured.

The independent safety assessment marks a critical step in MMRDA’s efforts to revive the troubled monorail system, which was once pitched as India’s first modern light mass rapid transit project.

Crime

Mumbai horror: 15-year-old girl gang-raped in Powai area; 6 held

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A 15-year-old minor girl was brutally gang-raped in Mumbai Powai area by six men, officials said on Saturday, adding that all accused have been arrested within 24 hours of the incident.

“Within just 24 hours of receiving the victim’s complaint, Mumbai Police teams conducted raids at various locations and apprehended all the accused,” officials said.

According to the police, the incident took place between October 27 and 28.

The main accused, along with four of his associates, lured the minor to an open, deserted plot located behind a bakery shop on Saki Vihar Road, where the accused allegedly sexually assaulted the victim, officials said in a statement.

Following the incident, the perpetrators threatened the victim, warning her that if she reported the matter to the police or her family, they would circulate her photographs on social media.

“In a separate, related incident, another accused intercepted the victim near a pipeline in Powai, where he molested and sexually harassed her,” officials said.

After facing the brutal assault, on the morning of October 29, the traumatised victim, with the help of her family, reached the Powai Police Station and recounted the ordeal, according to the officials.

“Recognising the gravity of the situation, the police immediately registered an FIR under Sections 64(1) and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additionally, charges under Sections 4, 8, and 12 of the POCSO Act have been invoked,” police said.

According to the investigators, none of the six arrested individuals has a prior criminal record.

Meanwhile, the victim has been sent to KEM Hospital in Mumbai for a medical examination.

“A thorough investigation into the case is currently underway under the supervision of senior police personnel,” officials said.

Further details are awaited.

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Maharashtra

Akhilesh Yadav is fighting to save the country and protect the Constitution: Abu Asim Azmi

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Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has congratulated SP President Akhilesh Yadav for his struggle to protect the nation and the Constitution. He stated that Akhilesh Yadav has the capacity to save the country, and the nation’s 1.4 billion citizens should recognize his efforts. Abu Asim Azmi emphasized that a strong alliance is essential to eradicate communalism and hatred from the country. He further added that the distribution of seats within such an alliance should be based on the strength of a party’s grassroots workers and its ability to secure the highest number of votes. Highlighting the political significance of Uttar Pradesh, he remarked that the path to Delhi runs through the state; therefore, a robust alliance must be formed to secure power in Uttar Pradesh and, in turn, halt those who propagate hatred.

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Maharashtra

Major operation by Mumbai MIDC Police: Two suspects arrested for selling ‘hydro-ganja’ (cannabis) and other narcotics; 1 kg 896 grams of cannabis seized.

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On October 29, Police Inspector Ranjit Gondkome of the Mumbai MIDC Police Station, along with the Anti-Narcotics Squad, was out on patrol as part of an operation targeting individuals involved in the consumption, purchase, and sale of narcotics. During this patrol, near the Industrial Estate on Paper Box Road, MIDC, Andheri (East), Mumbai, two individuals were observed moving about in a suspicious manner. Finding their behavior suspicious, Police Inspector Gondkome and his team moved to detain them. One of the individuals was carrying a red plastic bag. Both men attempted to flee the scene to evade the police, but they were successfully apprehended by the police team on the spot. When Police Inspector Gundkome questioned the two individuals regarding their presence at the location and their attempt to evade the police, they initially tried to mislead the officers. Upon further, more intensive questioning, ‘hydro-ganja’ (a potent form of cannabis) was discovered in their possession. Following the procedures mandated by the NDPS Act, 1985, a physical search of the individuals was conducted, along with a search of a red plastic bag held by Omkar Rajendra Pawar. This search yielded 1.896 kilograms of ‘hydro-ganja,’ with an estimated value of 6,636,000 rupees. The individuals—Omkar Rajendra Pawar (aged 28, resident of Bhakarwadi, Takoregaon, Satara District) and Piyush Madhukar Ghongde (aged 22, resident of Station area, Takoregaon, Satara District)—were found in possession of this substance, intended for sale, transport, and commercial purposes. Consequently, a case has been registered at the MIDC Police Station, Mumbai (Case No. 1244/2026), under Sections 8(c), 20(b), and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.
Investigations have revealed that the arrested suspects had traveled from Satara District to Mumbai city with the intent to sell this ‘hydro-ganja.’ Further investigation into the aforementioned crime is underway. This operation was carried out under the leadership of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Sharma, Additional Police Commissioner Abhinav Deshmukh, DCP Datta Nalawade, and MIDC Senior Police Inspector Ghanshyam Nair.

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