As a precautionary measure ahead of the monsoon season, passenger services between the popular tourist Neral-Aman Lodge stretch of the Neral-Matheran narrow gauge ‘toy train’ in Maharashtra will be discontinued for four months, the Central Railway (CR) announced on Friday. “The train, which takes travellers to Matheran, a small, vehicle-free hill station in adjoining Raigad district, will not operate between June 8 and October 15 for safety reasons,” it said in a release.
The reason cited by the CR behind halting the toy train services during the monsoon season is because of the risk of landslides in the area.
Shuttle services to begin
According to the statement, the CR will run frequent shuttle services between Matheran and Aman Lodge, which is near Dasturi point, beyond which motorised vehicles—aside from ambulances—are not allowed on the hill station, which is 100 kilometres from Mumbai.
Over a century-old vintage narrow gauge train will run six Up and Down shuttle trips per day between Matheran and Aman Lodge, Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the stretch will run eight services each, according to the announcement.
In an effort to revive the glorious past of the Neral-Matheran narrow gauge train, the CR intends to give the current diesel-powered engine a look reminiscent of a vintage steam engine.
One of the rare heritage mountain railways in India, the Neral-Matheran Light Railway, is celebrating its 116th year of operation. In 1907, the narrow gauge line’s steam-powered toy train service was inaugurated. Work on the Neral-Matheran railway began in 1904, and the two-foot gauge line was put into service in 1907. The ghat area of Matheran, a popular weekend and vacation spot for travellers, particularly those from Mumbai and Pune, is crossed by the narrow gauge line.
(With PTI inputs)