State may consider improved 7-car mono rakes for Mumbai

MUMBAI: Mumbaikars may see an improved monorail project soon.
A new prototype, Innovia Monorail 300 by Canadian MNC Bombardier, has seven coaches instead of the usual four and nearly matches the carrying capacity of the Metro. Senior MNC executives have made presentations to top government officials who are impressed with the new model. "We are discussing the details of the project with private firm," said a Mantralaya official.Executives of the Canadian firm claim that
The new monorail model has a capacity of carrying 48,000 passengers in each direction every hour with trains leaving at 75-second intervals, claim officials.
They said that the regular
The Metro has a capacity to carry 45,200 persons per hour in both directions with trains leaving every 120 seconds, while the new monorail seven-car train can ferry 30,080 persons per hour in either direction with the same frequency. "Monorail is seen as a lighter mode of travel but our new prototype changes things," said an executive from the Canadian firm. State government officials said that the new monorail model could well turn out to be a "game-changer". There are seven lines planned for the Mumbai region. The first line of the monorail, constructed by L&T and Scomi of Malaysia, is from Chembur to Jacob Circle; officials claim a 10-km stretch from Chembur to Wadala will be ready by next year.
The first line of monorail (Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle) the first phase of this from Chembur to Wadala a 10 km stretch will be ready by next year.The line is being constructed by L&T and Scomi of Malaysia.
The remaining lines have not been finalized and a detailed study is yet to be done, officials added. In the first phase, the monorail rakes will travel between 40 and 50 kmph, however, the new model is capable of moving at a speed between 80 and 90 kmph. The first monorail line got delayed because of several problems in Jacob Circle.