Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority

MMRDA

monorail network

Mumbai Urban Transport Project

CM Devendra Fadnavis

The monorail services were suspended on November 9 last year after a couple of coaches were damaged in a fire

The lowest bid of Rs 2,000 crore is double the amount sanctioned to run the network.The), which runs the only monorail in the country and which suffers an average loss of Rs 3 lakh every day in doing so, has sent an SOS to the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), urging it to take over the monorail operations.In May this year, it was announced that IL&FS Rail, which operates Gurgaon Metro, had won the bid to operate and maintain the. However, MMRDA sources said the agency was likely to scrap the tender as it has realised the amount quoted by IL&FS (Rs 2,000 crore) was twice the budget set aside to run the network. The next lowest bid, by RInfra, quoted Rs 6,408 crore to run and maintain the network.MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar confirmed the agency was “in talks with the MRVC”. “Even with IL&FS, the operating costs are very high. We are in touch with the MRVC to maintain and operate the monorail.It has to restart quickly for the sake of Mumbaikars,” Kawathkar said.The MRVC, whose responsibility it is to execute projects under theas sanctioned by the Railway Ministry, is likely to find the MMRDA proposal tricky. The MRVC chief, RS Khurana, said his team was studying the proposal.“The MMRDA approached us regarding monorail. We are analysing the costs, the system and the implications. Of course, the final OK will be given by the Railway Ministry,” Khurana said.The state government sources saidhas urged the MMRDA to renegotiate with IL&FS while keeping the options open with MRVC. When contacted, the MMRDA commissioner, RA Rajeev, said the agency was yet to finalise the operating partner for monorail.