A newly procured monorail coach derailed and collided with an elevated track beam during a routine signaling test run at Mumbai’s Wadala depot on the morning of November 5, 2025, causing injuries to three staff members and extensive damage to the vehicle’s front section. The incident took place shortly after 9:00 a.m. outside the depot near Wadala-GTB Nagar station, as the train was exiting for track inspection and signaling trials under the ongoing system upgrade program. No passengers were on board, as the train was operating in a controlled, non-revenue environment.

The four-coach train, part of a fleet of 10 units supplied by Medha SMH Rail Pvt Ltd at a cost of ₹55 crore each, carried six personnel at the time—including the train captain, an engineer, and off-duty staff heading to nearby stations. The injured were identified as train captain Sohail Patel (27), who suffered an internal injury; engineer Budhaji Parab (26), with a hand fracture; and staff member V. Jagdish (28), who sustained a head laceration. All three were promptly transported to BMC-run Sion Hospital in a private vehicle, treated, and discharged later in the day. Fire brigade teams conducted a swift rescue, extracting two crew members from the tilted coach using safety harnesses, while a heavy-duty crane was deployed by evening to realign the derailed unit.

Initial findings point to a sudden malfunction of the guideway beam switch—a critical mechanism that directs the monorail between tracks. According to sources, the switch was correctly set for the Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk (SGMC) route when the train departed the platform at 8:30 a.m. However, it abruptly shifted toward the depot line within seconds, causing the front bogie to lose alignment, derail, and strike the beam. The impact severely damaged the undercarriage, couplings, wheel covers, and suspension system, leaving the coach visibly tilted and partially suspended.

The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL) maintained that the event was a “minor incident” within a fully controlled trial, designed to test extreme scenarios under the new Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) system. However, transport experts have questioned the reliability of automated safety features, noting that CBTC should have detected and halted the train upon detecting the switch anomaly.

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This derailment adds to a troubling pattern of technical failures on Mumbai’s 20-km monorail corridor, which has remained suspended since September 20, 2025, for comprehensive upgrades. Prior incidents include a major breakdown on August 19 that stranded hundreds of passengers in two trains, and another abrupt halt on September 15 in the Wadala area. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had already constituted a high-level committee to investigate recurring glitches, with the current incident now under its expanded scope. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders staged protests outside the depot, demanding a complete suspension of all monorail activities until safety is fully assured and independent audits are conducted.

Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to modernizing the system, stating that remaining trials will proceed on unaffected sections. A detailed technical report is expected within days, and service resumption will depend on the inquiry’s findings and corrective measures. The incident underscores the challenges of integrating advanced signaling and driverless technology into aging infrastructure, as Mumbai seeks reliable elevated transit solutions amid growing urban congestion.

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