|Owner||Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority|
|Locale||Mumbai, Maharashtra, India|
|Transit type||Straddle-beam monorail|
|Number of lines||1|
|Number of stations||17|
|Daily ridership||125,000 (estimate)|
|Began operation||1 February 2014|
|Number of vehicles||6|
|Train length||4 coaches|
|System length||19.54 km (12.14 mi) (Operational: 8.9 km (5.5 mi))|
|Electrification||750 V DC|
|Average speed||32 km/h (20 mph)|
|Top speed||80 km/h (50 mph)|
The Mumbai Monorail is a monorail system in the city of Mumbai, India, part of a major expansion of public transport in the city. The project was implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), along with a consortium of Mumbai-based conglomerate Larsen & Toubro and the Malaysian infrastructure firm Scomi Engineering. It is the first monorail in India since the Kundala Valley Railway and Patiala State Monorail Trainways were closed in the 1920s, before the independence of India. Construction began in January 2009 and the first operational line, between Wadala and Chembur, was inaugurated on 1 February 2014. Trains run from 7am to 3pm IST in the initial stage. It is expected to operate for 19 hours straight starting from March 2014.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) conceived the idea of an alternate means of transportation, which included the monorail, sometime in 2005 as part of Mumbai's transportation expansion plans, but the decision to introduce monorail as a feeder service to the mass rapid transit system (MRTS) was taken on 28 September 2008. An elevated monorail system was proposed as its narrow guide beams are suitable for congested cities like Mumbai where land is scarce. Monorails are eco-friendly, can handle sharp curves much better than normal trains and metros, as well as climb up and down easily. Monorails also do not obstruct light since they are much narrower than normal rail tracks. The straddle-type monorail design (named so because the train straddles a steel or reinforced concrete beam) was adopted in Mumbai. According to the MMRDA, the bus service operating in the city plied crowded and narrow areas at very slow speeds, thus offering no benefits to the commuters and adding to the traffic congestion. The agency believed that an elevated monorail, that can take sharp turns, climb up and down easily, and run at an average speed of 30 km/hr and maximum speed of 80 km/hr would address these issues. The MMRDA also stated that the monorail would connect many parts of the city which were not connected by suburban rail system or the proposed metro rail system. The agency also stated that the monorail would be an efficient feeder transit to the metro and suburban rail systems offering efficient, safe, air-conditioned, comfortable and affordable public transport to commuters.
Then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh cleared the notification for the construction of the first monorail line in Mumbai on 18 August 2008. The line would connect Jacob Circle, Wadala and Mahul via Chembur, providing a feeder service to the existing Mumbai Suburban Railway. The notification formally appointed the MMRDA as the system administrator for the monorail project. It would be responsible for land acquisition along the route, and the construction, allied structures, signalling and safety of the monorail system. On 11 November 2008, Larsen and Toubro, along with Malaysian partner Scomi, were awarded a 24.6 billion (US$390 million) contract to build and operate the monorail until 2029.
The monorail may not be further extended by the MMRDA, as it may prove inadequate for Mumbai's population density. Foreign consultants have suggested a Metro or LRT system over a monorail for many Indian cities, e.g. Bangalore.
Construction of the Mumbai Monorail started in January 2009 along the Chembur – Wadala – Jacob Circle route and was scheduled to be completed in April 2011. Due to delays, the deadline for operation of the first phase of the line, between Chembur and Wadala, was postponed to August 2012, and then 15 Septem