Tamil Nadu - Udhagamandalam   

Nilgiri Mountain Railway day celebrated

— Photo: D. Radhakrishnan

Nilgiris Collector Santosh K.Misra (second right) releasing a logo connected with the NMR in Ooty on Monday.

Udhagamandalam: When the train from Mettupalayam chugged into the railway station here on Monday it was greeted with more enthusiasm than usual. The reason: It was on this day way back in 1908 that the internationally renowned Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) line was extended to Ooty.

Described as ‘a marvel of engineering skill’ in the construction of railway lines, the construction of the mountain railway between Mettupalayam and Coonoor had been completed in 1899 and traffic opened on June 15,1899. It was extended to Ooty by 1908 and thrown open to traffic on October 15,1908. It was originally proposed to locate the terminal station at Charing Cross here. However, after a great deal of scouting it was decided in 1904 to locate the station at the bottom of the Saint Mary’s Hill. A brief but colourful function was organised under the aegis of the Heritage Steam Chariot Trust to commemorate the occasion.

Amidst joyous scenes the Nilgiris Collector Santosh K Misra who led the celebrations cut a cake and distributed pieces to those present. He observed that October 15 will always be treated as a red letter day in the Nilgiris.

A fifteen member group of tourists from Saint Etienne in France led by their Deputy Mayor Martine Fontanilles who came by the NMR said that they were thrilled with the journey.

Stating that during their current holiday they had travelled by train in many parts of the World including Peru and Vietnam, Ms. Fontanilles told The Hindu that the NMR journey would remain fresh in their memory for long. The scenery en route was breath taking. Pointing out that a diesel engine had replaced the steam engine between Coonoor and Ooty, she opined that if a steam locomotive was used through out the journey from Mettupalayam to Ooty it would enhance the joy.

Pointing out that the NMR had recently been accorded the World Heritage Site status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Founder of the Trust K. Natarajan said it was a major attraction. Stating that October 15 was being celebrated as NMR Day for the past few years, he hoped that this year’s celebration would trigger a series of activities as it marked the beginning of the centenary of the line being extended to Ooty. He added the ambience of Runneymede station along the NMR line should be exploited to promote tourism.

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