MUMBAI, Nov. 6 -- Three employees of Mumbai Monorail suffered injuries when one of the coaches of a newly manufactured train derailed, the first such incident on the monorail, on Wednesday morning. The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) attempted to downplay the mishap by terming it a "minor incident" during "routine signalling trials. carried out in a fully protected environment, strictly adhering to all safety protocols", wherein "no injuries were reported". MMMOCL, an arm of MMRDA, operates and maintains the 19.54-km monorail, which was opened to the public in February 2014. Since its inauguration, the transportation line has seen several mishaps and disruptions. Immediately after the incident, MMMOCL issued a statement, saying it was conducting a series of advanced system trials under its ongoing technology upgradation programme. "These include the testing of the new Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology on the monorail system. The initiative aims to further enhance operational safety, efficiency and reliability," said the note. MMMOCL claimed that the incident, which occurred at 9.25 am, was a "minor" one. "The situation was immediately brought under control and no injuries were reported to any personnel," said the note. However, Hindustan Times found that three staffers-Sohel Arif Patel (27), V Jagadish (28) and Budhaji Pramod Parab (26)-did suffer injuries. The staffers were rescued from the affected train and taken to LTMG Hospital, Sion. Patel suffered blunt trauma to his left hand, Jagadish sustained an injury to his head, lower back and ankle while Parab's right thigh was injured. "All three are stable and did not need to be admitted," said dean Dr Mohan Joshi. In an attempt to soft-pedal the accident, MMMOCL said that the trials were designed to simulate extreme or worst-case scenarios to evaluate system responses and ensure complete preparedness before actual deployment. "Hence, such controlled situations are a part of the standard testing process," said the note. "MMMOCL assures that these are only internal system trials. Citizens are therefore requested not to panic. Regular trials, being conducted by Medha SMH Rail Pvt Ltd (the contractor), remain unaffected." Within minutes of the incident, the fire department and police arrived at the spot. "We were told that the incident did not merit a rescue operation and was part of a mock drill to gauge preparedness," said an official. However, the fire engines continued to stay put. A source told Hindustan Times that the mishap occurred when a switch moved its position when the train was passing over it, resulting in the train going off the guideway beam. A guideway beam is equivalent to a railway track, whereas a switch assists a monorail to move from beam to another. The gravity of the accident was such that even after 12 hours, attempts to bring the monorail back to the car depot were unsuccessful. Moreover, the underbelly of a coach of the barely year-old monorail got heavily damaged. Later, a crane was mobilised to re-rail the affected coach but the attempt failed. Monorail passenger services already stand suspended from September 20 owing to a series of disruptions and technical glitches. A four-member committee will request the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS)-the authority that certifies a metro rail system fit for public use-to include Mumbai Monorail in its purview. If unsuccessful, the committee could rope in an independent safety inspector, preferably a retired CMRS, to thoroughly check Mumbai Monorail prior to certifying its safety....