Tourists to Ooty disappointed at cancellation of NMR service

Tourists visiting Udhagamandalam on Saturday were a disappointed lot following frequent cancellation of Nilgiris Mountain Rail (NMR) to the hill station from Mettupalayam, near here, owing to landslides.

The rail service was cancelled more than five times within a two-three day gap because of the heavy rain in the Nilgiris district for the last two months.

With availability of a minimum of nearly 200 seats, the tourists, particularly foreigners and newly married couples, were booking in advance for the journey on the heritage train.

However, they were disappointed due to the sudden cancellation of the trains citing landslides, the recent being for two days from November 12.

After a two-day gap, the train was again cancelled on Saturday, following landslides between Aderley and Hillgrove railway station due to heavy rain, railway sources said.

The restoration work has already started and the rail service was expected to resume Sunday if it were completed by Saturday night, they said.