Mumbai: On Tuesday evening, two overcrowded Mumbai Monorail trains became stranded on elevated tracks between stations during heavy rains, leaving passengers in a state of panic. A senior official involved in the rescue operation revealed that some passengers were so frightened that they were prepared to jump from the trains onto the ground below. In response, the Mumbai Fire Brigade had deployed jumping sheets beneath the tracks as a safety precaution, though fortunately, no one attempted to jump.

A total of 782 passengers were rescued after the incident, with 582 passengers evacuated from the train stuck between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park using snorkel ladders. The other 200 passengers were safely evacuated from a separate train that was towed back to the nearby Wadala station, officials confirmed.

Mumbai Fire Brigade Chief Ravindra Ambulgekar arrived at the scene around 6:30 pm and praised the coordination and courage of his team during the operation. Speaking to PTI, he said, “People were scared. Some of them were even ready to jump. We immediately placed jumping sheets on the ground and deployed officers into the coaches to calm the passengers. Our priority was to prevent panic from turning into tragedy.”

The incident occurred amid torrential rains that disrupted suburban train services on the Harbour line, prompting many commuters to seek alternatives like the Monorail. One train halted abruptly near Mysore Colony, visibly tilting to one side, while another stopped near Wadala Bridge.

Drawing from its experience handling a similar Monorail rescue in 2021, the fire brigade arrived promptly with fire engines, ambulances, aerial ladders, and emergency equipment. Rescue teams broke open windows and forced doors to evacuate passengers, prioritising women and senior citizens, with young men evacuated last. Medical assistance was also provided on-site.

Late into the night, all passengers were safely evacuated, with some requiring medical attention due to distress. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 23 passengers from the Mysore Colony train were treated for suffocation by an onboard doctor and later discharged. Two individuals, Kismat Kumar (20) and Vivek Sonavane (28), were hospitalised at Sion Hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade highlighted the crucial support from senior civic authorities, emphasising that the combination of clear planning and calm execution prevented a potential tragedy during the rescue.

With inputs from PTI