Sources says Malaysian operator LTSE, which has been allegedly defaulting on various counts, even asked the employees to approach MMRDA to get their respective salaries
The bumpy ride of the Monorail project, the country's first and only such mass transit system, and the resulting face-off between the operator and state infra body MMRDA have left the fate of nearly 175 employees hanging in the balance.
The entire staff has been sent on forced unpaid leave for two months as the consortium Larsen & Toubro-Scomi Engineering (LTSE) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) are trying to end the contract from each other's end.
"Starting June 1, the entire workforce right from station managers to train captains to maintenance staff are at home," said a source, requesting not to be named.
The affected employees have no idea if they will be called back or offered a "golden handshake", another source told this newspaper. An employee associated with LTSE said they haven't been paid for April and May. "They have told us that our dues will be repaid."
The Chembur-Wadala Monorail route has been mired in controversies ever since it was commissioned in February 2014. The operations were suspended in November 2017 following a fire on two coaches of a train.
Sources said Malaysian operator LTSE, which has been allegedly defaulting on various counts, even asked the employees to approach MMRDA to get their respective salaries. MMRDA contrasted the claim saying the staff is supposed to receive their pay through LTSE.
With the Monorail project likely to be heading towards arbitration, sources said, each side wants to be the first to terminate the contract to claim that it was the party that was at fault.
Recently, LTSE had even written to MMRDA saying that their responsibilities with regards to operation and maintenance is over. On its part, MMRDA has initiated the process to terminate their contract, said two officials.
Sanjay Khandare, additional metropolitan commissioner of MMRDA confirmed that they shared with LTSE that the consortium is supposed to be on board and re-commission the monorail after procuring the necessary spare parts.
Khandare added, "We are in talks with Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation and IL&FS for taking over the operations and maintenance of Mumbai Monorail, and something will be finalised soon."
LTSE did not respond to an email query sent by DNA.
Despite the safety certification being in place for the second phase of the project – between Wadala and Jacob Circle, the operation is stuck due to the ongoing stalemate.
Ridership on the first phase of Monorail has been dismal. Before shutting down, barely 15,000 commuters used the transport system every day, resulting in a daily loss of nearly Rs 3 lakh.
SNAG-HIT
- Ever since operations began in 2014, technical glitches have bogged the Monorail project
- In November 2017, two coaches of a train caught fire, forcing operator to suspend services
- There are 10 Monorail rakes, but only three to four can be put into service at a short notice.
- To make other trains operationally fit, 1,300 spare parts will have to be procured.
- Five more trains are yet to be delivered by the Malaysian company.
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