Gripped with fear and panic, some commuters mulled jumping off stranded Monorail trains in Mumbai: Rescuer

Mumbai: Panic-stricken commuters were even ready to put their life at risk by jumping off two overcrowded Monorail trains, which got stuck on elevated tracks after heavy rains in Mumbai, but were safely rescued later.

As a precautionary step, the fire brigade spread sheets on the ground in case any passenger jumped to escape the ordeal, but that situation did not arise, an official involved in the rescue operation said late Tuesday night.

Rescue teams broke open windows and forced the train doors open to evacuate passengers, he said.

As many as 782 passengers were rescued on Tuesday evening after the two overcrowded Monorail trains on elevated tracks got stuck on a day of torrential rains, leading to panic and frantic rescue efforts.

More than a dozen passengers complained of suffocation with a couple of them reportedly fainting as electricity and air-conditioning shut down, though only one passenger had to be hospitalised and her condition was said to be stable.

While 582 passengers were rescued from the Monorail train stuck between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park by deploying snorkel ladders, 200 others were evacuated from another Monorail train which was successfully towed back to the nearby Wadala station, according to officials.

Mumbai Fire Brigade Chief Ravindra Ambulgekar rushed to the Monorail station in eastern Mumbai after learning about the incident around 6.30 pm on Tuesday.

Talking to PTI, he said the fire brigade team carried out a daring and meticulously coordinated operation, saving more than 780 persons from the Monorail trains.

"People (passengers) were scared. Some of them were even ready to jump. We immediately placed jumping sheets on the ground under the tracks to prevent anyone from getting hurt in case any of them jumped off, and deployed officers into the coach to calm them. Our priority was to prevent panic from turning into a tragedy," he said.

As torrential rains disrupted suburban train services on the harbour line on Tuesday, many commuters turned to Monorail as an alternative. But during the evening rush hours after 6 pm, a Monorail train came to an abrupt halt near Mysore Colony, seen tilting to one side, and another one near Wadala Bridge.

As the fire brigade had previous experience of rescuing Monorail passengers, it immediately sent fire engines and ambulances with aerial ladders along with the necessary emergency equipment to the site.

"We kept in mind the fire incident during the last monorail rescue and ensured all precautions were in place this time," Ambulgekar said, referring to a 2021 incident when questions were raised about the emergency response of the force.

"Rescue teams broke open windows and forced the doors open to evacuate passengers, starting with women and senior citizens. Last preference was given to young men. Medical assistance was also mobilised on site," he said.

Ambulgekar lauded his team's coordination and courage.

"The crowd panicked, but our presence and a clear plan made all the difference," he said, adding they received full moral support from the senior civic authorities.

By late night, a total of 782 passengers were safely evacuated from the two Monorail trains. Several among the rescued were found to be in distress, and some required immediate medical attention, he said.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), of the 582 rescued passengers from the Mysore Colony Monorail, 23 showed signs of suffocation and were treated immediately by the onboard doctor in 108 ambulances and were later discharged. However, two others were shifted to Sion Hospital for further care.

The two, identified as Kismat Kumar (20) and Vivek Sonavane (28), received treatment and were stable now, it said.