MUNNAR: It may sound weird that once upon a time trains used to chug through the hill station of Munnar. Started in 1902, the service was operated to a distance of 40 kms from Munnar to Top Station for a quarter century until 1924, when a devastating flood washed away the railway network.
The service was established in the hill station 30 years before the present Thiruvananthapuram Central Station was opened on November 4, 1931. The Ernakulam-Kottayam Metre Gauge came about 44 years after it, in 1956. The Kottayam-Kollam MG line was opened in 1958.
The service in Munnar was operated by a private company Kundala Valley Railway to transport tea through the monorail system which is said to be the first in the country. The monorail was there until 1908. Under this system, a small wheel was placed on the track and a large wheel on road to balance the monorail which was pulled by bullocks. It was later converted to narrow gauge in 1908.
The railway service was started to promote tea trading within the country and abroad. The service was utilised to carry the consignment to about 40 kms from Munnar to Top station in the Kannan Devan Hills.
The Tea consignment was unloaded at the Top Station from where Tea chests were sent by ropeway to a station downhill, Kottagudi in Tamil Nadu, which is about 5 kms from the Top Station which became known as the Bottom Station. From Kottagudi, goods were carted out for a distance of 15 kms to Bodinaikkanur by carts. Tea was transported from Bodinaikkanur to other places in the country through train service.
Ninety years since the rail line was washed away in floods, neither the central nor the state government has taken any steps to restore the service. No action has been initiated so far to protect the remains of railway line, a reminder of the British era. Thanks to the efforts of Tatas, some parts of the train are preserved in its museum in Munnar.
The attitude of the government could be gauged by its slow pedalling on the Sabari rail line project. Unlike the hilly regions of Munnar, the Sabari project has been planned through the low land area of Thodupuzha. While a section of people are opposing the project for fear of losing their land, the government has no political will to call the shots.
Meanwhile, V V George, president, Munnar Emerging Eco Tourism Society (MEETS), told ‘Express’ that MEETS had submitted a proposal to the Chief Minister and Tourism Minister to explore the possibility of involving the private sector to revive the railway project. They have assured to study the matter, he said.
