 "Mumbai monorail scare: How over 700 passengers were rescued from 2 stranded trains amid heavy rain")
Two monorail trains came to a halt in Mumbai on Tuesday evening during heavy rain, leaving more than 700 people stranded.
Rescue teams managed to get 582 passengers out of a train stuck on the tracks near Mysore Colony in Chembur. Another train carrying over 200 people was pulled back safely to Wadala station, where the evacuation was carried out.
Videos from the scene showed rescuers entering the coaches through broken windows and guiding passengers onto ladders placed against the train so they could climb down to safety.
But why did the monorail get stuck? How exactly was the rescue carried out?
Here’s a look:
What happened in the first incident?
In the first incident, a monorail carrying 582 people came to a halt between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park in Chembur, central Mumbai.
According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the problem arose from a power supply failure caused by “overcrowding.”
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also linked the breakdown to overcrowding. “Due to the closure of the Harbour Line, several passengers started travelling to the Monorail. This led to overcrowding in the train, and a power breakdown occurred. Our priority is to rescue passengers from the train," he said.
The MMRDA said that the train had “exceeded its original design capacity of 104 tons” because of the overcrowding, which in turn disrupted the power system. With the power failure, the air conditioning stopped working, leaving many passengers feeling suffocated inside the coaches.
Police quickly reached the spot, while the fire brigade carried out rescue operations using three hydraulic ladders. Reports said that people had been stuck for more than an hour as engineers worked to open the carriages.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsEveryone was eventually rescued after hours of effort. Some passengers who complained of suffocation were taken to the hospital in ambulances.
Medical teams confirmed that 23 of the 582 passengers had breathing difficulties during the breakdown but were treated on the spot.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Passengers rescued from the Monorail that got stuck near Mysore Colony station in Mumbai due to a power supply issue. pic.twitter.com/Ch3zYgFohg
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2025
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said an inquiry would be ordered and assured that all passengers were safe.
“Due to some technical reason, a monorail is stuck between Chembur and Bhakti Park. MMRDA, the fire brigade, and the municipal corporation, all agencies have reached the spot. The highest priority is being given to the safety of all passengers. Therefore, no one should worry or panic. All passengers will be safely evacuated," he said on X.
What happened in the second incident?
Almost an hour after the first breakdown, another monorail with about 200 passengers stopped suddenly between Acharya Atre and Wadala Monorail Station.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Teams of BMC, fire department and Mumbai Police are engaged in rescuing passengers from the Monorail stuck near Mysore Colony station in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/78HvUSyr5A
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2025
The train was later towed back to Wadala, where the passengers were safely evacuated.
‘Suffocation was the main problem’: Passengers recount Mumbai monorail horror
One passenger said that while most people remained “mostly patient,” senior citizens and children struggled the most.
“Passengers were patient. The train had many senior citizens and kids, and they were facing difficulties… Suffocation was the main problem inside the train," the passenger told ANI.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: A passenger rescued from the Monorail says, "Passengers were patient. The train had many senior citizens and kids, and they were facing difficulties... Suffocation was the main problem inside the train..." https://t.co/dRbZIl0Z8c pic.twitter.com/FtFn8ZaLvu
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2025
Another passenger claimed that the train was carrying nearly 500 people and that it took about an hour before the rescue began.
“I was in the train from 5:30 PM. The rescue operation started after 1 hour. There were at least 500 passengers in the train. This train arrived after a gap of 30 minutes, so the entire train was overloaded with passengers,” the passenger said.
Mumbai rains
Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rain for the past two days, throwing daily life out of gear.
Flooded roads left commuters stranded and vehicles struggling to move through waterlogged areas. The situation once again reflected the city’s yearly struggle with monsoon floods.
On Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for very heavy rainfall in Mumbai.
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