COIMBATORE: Train services were hit following a landslide that brought down dislodged boulders on the hills running along Mettupalayam-Udagamandalam section of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) track near Adderly railway station in Coonoor in The Nilgiris on Sunday.
According to railway sources, around 70 passengers were present in the train. The hillock fell on the track between Adderly railway station and Hillgrove railway station at 8.27 am leading to the disruption of train service on the world heritage site on NMR. The train commenced from Mettupalayam railway station at 7.10 am and was scheduled to reach Udagamandalam railway station on Sunday afternoon. However, the train was unable to move further due to disruption on the track.
Following the information engineering team from the Salem, division visited the spot and started restoring the railway line. After nearly two hours of wait, the railway authorities arranged two TNSTC buses and dropped the passengers at Coonoor bus stand. Subsequently, the authorities sent the train to Mettupalayam railway station from the accident spot
Salem Division authorities handed over refund to passengers. According to an official “The work was completed by 12.30 pm and we were unable to operate the service further. It will resume on Monday. The landslide occurred since the area was wet due to the recent rain. There were no damages to the track in this incident,” he added.