Mumbai Monorail likely to be operational by August

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is hopeful that India's first mono rail would become operational by August. "A proposal by the state government to appoint a safety certification engineer for issuing the safety certificate, as required by the Tramway Act, is in process. We expect this procedure to begin in June and expect certification within three months thereafter", MMRDA chief Rahul Asthana said.

The certification would enable commissioning of the mono rail. He was addressing reporters after the test ride of the monorail on 8.80-km long Wadala-Chembur-and-back journey. "We witnessed the enthusiasm and the excitement of the Mumbaikar to ride a mono rail," Maharashtra Chief Secretary J K Banthia said in a statement after conducting the test ride.

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The metro and mono rails will share the burden of suburban railway and will help provide more comfortable journey within the city, he said. "The Mono Rail tests are being conducted regularly this year from Wadala to Chembur - an 8.80-km stretch and now that the entire 8.80-km first phase is ready with the guideway and beam work finished, this trial was important and we happily showcased it today," Asthana said.

The Mono Rail project is being implemented in two phases - Chembur to Wadala and Wadala to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk. The first phase is looking ahead to begin operations this year. The seven stations on the 8.80 km long Phase-I of the Mono Rail corridor are - Chembur, V.N.Purav/RC Marg Junction, Fertiliser Township, Bharat Petroleum, Mysore Colony, Bhakti Park and Wadala Depot. The construction work on all stations is at completion stage.