Extra eyes on as Monorail set to resume running on September 1

Two coaches of the Monorail were gutted last year. File pic

Metro, Monorail and railway stations, all have CCTV cameras to keep an eye on commuters and their activities; but now, Monorail stations have got an additional set of cameras to alert authorities of any mishap in the making.

This comes 10 months after the fire that gutted the Monorail along the Wadala-Chembur corridor. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has installed the CCTVs below the platforms, on both ends, for alerts about fires or any other accident.

Playing it safe
Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Sanjay Khandare said, "Operations on the Monorail stretch will begin soon, and in order to keep a close watch on untoward incidents, high-definition CCTV cameras have been installed at the platform level. These cameras, which are connected to our control room, where real-time monitoring will be done, will alert authorities in case of a fire."

Sources told mid-day that Wadala-Chembur Monorail services, shut since November 9, 2017, will begin on September 1. As India's very first Monorail, it was launched in 2014, but since then, has been plagued with disruptions, accidents and maintenance issues. The number of riders, too, has been low since its opening.

Rate card fight
The good news for commuters is that the original fares of R5-11 will stay. A one-member committee headed by former Central Railway manager Subodh Jain had submitted a report to the MMRDA, recommending that the rate of R4,600 per trip given to Larsen & Toubro-Scomi Engineering (LTSE) for operating the 8.9-km corridor be increased. LTSE had demanded R18,000, which was rejected.

Rs 5
Lowest fare on the stretch

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