A monorail train in Mumbai experienced an accident during a test run at the Wadala depot on Wednesday morning, November 5, 2025, resulting in injuries to three staff members and damage to the train. The incident occurred around 9:00 AM during signaling trials.
According to officials, the empty train derailed and hit a beam while being moved from one guideway beam to another. The impact caused significant damage to the train's undercarriage and alignment. The first coach of the train suffered major damage to its undergears, coupling, and bogies.
While the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL), the operator of the monorail, characterized the event as a "minor incident" and initially stated that no one was injured, a civic official reported that three monorail employees sustained injuries and received hospital treatment. The injured individuals were identified as Sohail Patel (27), Budhaji Parab (26), and V Jagdish (28). Reports indicate that the train captain suffered an internal injury, while another staff member and an engineer from Medha SMH sustained an internal hand injury and a head scratch, respectively.
Emergency services, including the Mumbai Fire Brigade and Mumbai Police, were dispatched to the site immediately after the incident. Fire brigade officials confirmed that two crew members were safely rescued from the monorail.
Chandrakant Kakade, president of the Monorail Workers' Association, suggested that a glitch in the switch used to shift tracks may have caused the accident. He noted the importance of the train not carrying passengers at the time of the incident, averting a potentially larger accident.
The Mumbai Monorail has been non-operational since September 20, 2025, due to persistent technical issues and service disruptions. The suspension was intended to allow for system upgrades, including the integration of new rolling stock, an upgrade to an advanced Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling system, and refurbishment of the aging fleet. The train involved in the accident was a newly delivered monorail rake manufactured by Medha Servo Drives and was undergoing a trial run as part of the technology upgradation program. The CBTC signaling technology is being implemented by Medha SMH Rail Pvt. Ltd.
This incident follows a series of technical setbacks for the Mumbai Monorail. In August, a train stalled between stations due to heavy rain, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Another breakdown in September led to an emergency evacuation of passengers. The Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had previously established a committee to investigate the recurring technical problems.
Following the accident, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers staged a protest outside the monorail depot, demanding a complete halt to monorail services in Mumbai. Transport activist AV Shenoy highlighted that the new monorail trains are equipped with the CBTC system.
MMMOCL has urged the public not to panic, stating that the trials conducted by Medha SMH Rail Pvt. Ltd. remain unaffected. They emphasized that the trials are designed to simulate extreme scenarios to evaluate system responses and ensure preparedness before deployment.
