Inspection of Monorail phase I begins in Mumbai

Almost a month after MiD DAY reported how the process of issuing safety certificate for the monorail project was delayed due to ill health of the official in charge of issuing the certificate, inspection of the monorail phase-I (Wadala-Chembur) began yesterday.

Monorail chugs through dense fog during a recent test run in Wadala

Health issues faced by the retired Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) G P Garg, owing to which he was unable to inspect the line in the past, was the primary reason why the Mumbai Metropolitan and Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had to delay inauguration of the phase-I. The authority had even considered replacing Garg with another retired CRS, but dropped the idea upon learning that Garg was fit enough to scrutinise the monorail.

MiD DAY's report on December 19, highlighting that inspection of the Wadala-Chembur line had been deferred due to ill health of the CRS

Thorough inspection
MMRDA Commissioner UPS Madan said, "The three-day safety certification of the Wadala-Chembur monorail phase-1 commenced on Monday and will go on till Wednesday. The former Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) will inspect the entire stretch, based on which the corridor will be issued a safety certificate. He'll be examining the operations, maintenance and all technical aspects." While the inspection is set to conclude on Wednesday, it is unclear whether the safety certificate would be issued on that very day.

Brimming with confidence
A high-ranking MMRDA official said everything the CRS might inspect was in order and the reliability tests conducted in December had yielded positive results. So the MMRDA was confident of getting the safety certificate at the earliest. In addition, Singapore-based firm SMRT, which was appointed by the MMRDA to inspect the line, has already concluded its survey and submitted its report earlier this month. The report includes a few suggestions for technical changes for smooth functioning of the monorail.