Udhagamandalam: The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) resumed service between Mettupalayam and Ooty on Thursday after a gap of nine months.
With four compartments that had 180 seats, the steam engine reached Ooty by 12.30pm. It was operated with full passenger capacity, NMR sources said.
The train was cancelled in March due to the pandemic. However, before the regular service was launched, charter services by a private player were operated from the first week of December, which attracted criticism from all quarters. Further such services were subsequently cancelled.
“We were lucky to get seats in the NMR train. It was a memorable journey and an experience of a lifetime,” said A Sheik Mohamed and M Sofia from Erode, who are on a honeymoon trip.
The train had 180 passengers on the first day of operation. The Southern Railway had announced the resumption of services two days ago.
‘Get ready to soak in the beauty of Nilgiri Mountain Railway. This UNESCO world heritage site will resume operations from December 31. A visual delight for tourists, it offers breathtaking views all along the way,’ tweeted minister of railways Piyush Goyal.
“After the relaxation of e-pass to the hill district, tourists have been looking forward to resumption of NMR service. For many tourists, a trip to the Nilgiris will not be complete without a journey in the mountain train,” said K Natarajan, managing trustee, Heritage Steam Chariot Trust. “NMR is in the process of regaining its lost charm. Authorities should operate more special trains to glorify the heritage mountain railway, Asia’s steepest and longest meter gauge.”