COIMBATORE: In an attempt to promote tourism, officials of Salem Railway division on Monday operated a special charter train for foreign tourists between Coonoor and Udagamandalam in the Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR).
The train that had two first-class coaches and one seating-cum-luggage rake (SLR) was propelled by a steam engine (X class engine 37398).
In all, 71 tourists from the UK, Russia and the USA took the train ride. The journey commenced at 10.40 am at Coonoor railway station and by 12.20 pm the train had reached Udagamandalam.
"Initially, the tourists got approval to travel from Mettupalayam railway station to Udagamandalam.
However due to frequent landslips in the stretch between Mettupalayam and Coonoor, we were unable to operate the train for the past two weeks considering the safety of passengers.
Hence, tourists were taken from Coonoor to Ooty. The steam engine that powered the train is a century old," said an official.
Tourists are said to have paid Rs 2.76 lakh (including GST), collectively, to the railways for the journey.
"This is the first time that foreign tourists preferred travelling in the UNESCO-recognised railway section this year. In September 2018, a couple from Europe, three weeks after their marriage, travelled in the special chartered train after paying Rs 3 lakh to the division. The tourists, in general, enjoyed the travel and were proud too," the official added.
The railway division is ready to operate such charter trains in NMR for school students, said the official, adding that birthday parties and family trips will also be organised if interested persons contact the senior commercial officer at Salem division office.