Mumbai Monorail receives Safety Certification from Bureau Veritas, Services to resume soon

Mumbai, India (Metro Rail Today): Mumbai’s Monorail is set to make a comeback with enhanced safety, technology, and passenger comfort features. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has announced that the Monorail has secured the mandatory safety certification for its new rolling stock and the CBTC-based signalling system from Bureau Veritas, an internationally recognised Independent Safety Assessor (ISA).

The certification marks a major milestone in the upgrade process and brings the 19.54 km Monorail corridor closer to resuming passenger operations.

According to MMRDA, the next step involves the appointment of a retired Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) official, who will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the entire corridor and grant the final statutory clearance required to restart services. This inspection process is expected to be completed shortly.

The ISA certification follows the successful completion of multiple critical milestones. These include detailed inspections of the new rolling stock at the manufacturing facility, two months of rigorous operational testing across sections of the corridor, extensive static and dynamic trials to validate compliance with design and safety standards, completion of oscillation trials, and installation and interface-level testing of the advanced Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system.

The upgraded ‘Made in India’ Monorail rakes incorporate 21 modern enhancements aimed at improving passenger safety and comfort. Key features include onboard CCTV cameras, Divyang-friendly seating, mobile and laptop charging points, dynamic route maps, improved suspension systems for smoother rides, fire-safety compliant design, metro-style interiors, and real-time monitoring and surveillance systems.

The upgraded Monorail is expected to offer a safer, smarter and more reliable commuting experience for Mumbai’s residents, reinforcing MMRDA’s efforts to modernise urban transit infrastructure across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Commenting on the development, Mrs. Mamta Shah, MD & CEO, Urban Infra Group, said, “Securing ISA certification is a critical step in restoring public confidence in the Monorail system. With advanced CBTC signalling and upgraded rolling stock, Mumbai’s Monorail is poised to deliver enhanced safety, operational efficiency and passenger comfort. Timely completion of statutory inspections will ensure that the corridor resumes services with strengthened reliability and performance standards.”

With safety validation in place and final inspections underway, the upgraded Monorail is now closer to returning to service, offering improved connectivity along its corridor.