The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed the monorail and metro authorities to submit their emergency management plans to the respective disaster management authorities of Mumbai city and suburbs.
The directive came during a joint review meeting, chaired by Additional Municipal Commissioners Dr Vipin Sharma and Dr Ashwini Joshi, on Tuesday at the BMC headquarters. The meeting aimed to assess the preparedness of agencies to handle emergencies in the city’s growing public transport network.
Dr Sharma, who also heads the Mumbai Suburban District Emergency Management Authority, said it was crucial to take a comprehensive and independent approach towards monorail and metro services while planning for emergencies.
“Public transport systems are integral to Mumbai’s daily life, and their emergency preparedness must be strengthened through clear action plans and coordination,” he said.
Dr Joshi, chairperson of the Mumbai City Disaster Management Authority, emphasised the need for regular mock drills at monorail and metro sites to test and improve response mechanisms.
The meeting was convened following the August 19 incident when a technical glitch halted the monorail near Bhakti Park in Chembur, leaving passengers stranded.
Officials from the state disaster response cell, MMRDA, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, Adani Electricity, Tata Power, and the Mumbai Police attended the session, along with BMC officials, including Dr Amit Saini and Mahesh Narvekar, and IIT-Bombay Professor Dr Ravi Sinha.
Dr Saini, participating virtually, said the review was intended to test coordination among agencies and ensure preparedness for unforeseen situations.
Commending the civic body’s disaster management team, Professor Sinha lauded the civic body, Mumbai Fire Brigade, and civic administration for efficiently handling the August Monorail incident.
Mumbai Police issues traffic restrictions on GMLR for Metro-4 line construction works
Mumbai Police on Tuesday announced traffic restrictions on the the Bhandup-Sonapur Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) section for Metro-4 construction works.
The first test run of a 10-kilometre section of Metro Line-4 in Thane city was successfully conducted on September 22, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing development of the city’s rapid transit network.
A traffic notification, issued by the police, said that the civic officials will be carrying out works for Mumbai Metro-4 line at the GMLR (Bhandup Sonapur) Junction on Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg and they will install a special steel span for Metro-4.
The 56-metre-long steel span will be installed in two phases, requiring cranes, multiaxle trailers, and other heavy machinery, it said.
The police announced that there will be a closure of the roan on the following dates and times-
November 1, 2025: 10 pm to 10 am (next day)
November 2: 10 pm to 7 am (next day)
If work is not completed, it will continue on November 8 and 9 during the same night-time hours, police said.
It said that from November 3 to December 31, one lane at the junction on LBS Road may remain closed as required for steel span connection and other works.
