While the Chembur-Mahalaxmi Monorail considered as 'mass transport system' gets fully operational in the city on Monday, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) plans to have a Monorail corridor inside General Jagannathrao Bhosale (JB) Park at Sawantwadi in Sindhudurg district for attracting tourists over a distance of around 400 metre. This would be the world's second shortest Monorail corridor.
Presently, Monorail corridors, across the world, are operational in many amusement parks, gardens, zoos, and so on. The shortest Monorail corridor is of 300 metre at Tokyo zoo in Japan. It is followed by a 500 metre-long Monorail corridor at an amusement park in Finland.
The MTDC has planned a 400 metre-long elevated Monorail corridor that will allow visitors to have an aerial view of the park that MTDC claims has historical importance. The state tourism corporation has called for bids inviting private companies to construct the proposed 400 metre-long Monorail corridor in a period of six months.
Abhimanyu Kale, Managing Director of MTDC confirmed to DNA about their plans to construct a Monorail corridor to boost tourism in the state.
According to the officials of MTDC, General JB Park, maintained by Sawantwadi Municipal Council, witnesses thousands of visitors on a monthly basis from all over the state and also the country. This is why a Monorail corridor inside the park will happen to be an additional tourist attraction.
The park is named after Jagannathrao Bhosale, a veteran freedom fighter, and is spread over an area of 20 square metre. The park has a playing area for children, a cultural gathering area, an amusement park, a restaurant, and a pool.
An MTDC official explaining the plan said, "We plan an elevated Monorail corridor that will have two coaches with the carrying capacity of six passengers in one coach. It will have automatic doors and the coaches will be air-conditioned."
The MTDC official added, "The Monorail route will be circular above the walking area of the park and will give tourists a bird's eye view while travelling in the coaches. We have called for bids and will wait for the companies to show interest by suggesting a construction model. The cost of the project and travel fare will only be known after quotations are received from private parties."
However, Mumbai's experience with the Chembur-Mahalaxmi Monorail has not been good. Its construction started in 2008 and it has been in news for technical breakdowns ever since operations started partially between Chembur and Wadala.
Meanwhile, in countries like China, USA, UK, Netherlands, Malaysia, Thailand, and Russia Monorail technology has been very successful having a length range of around 1 to 10 kilometre.