Railways plan to preserve British era Patalpani-Kalakund meter gauge rail line

The Railways Thursday announced that it would create the infrastructure to preserve the British era Patalpani-Kalakund meter gauge rail line which is part of Western Railway's Ratlam division, a senior railway official said.

The rail route, in Madhya Pradesh, passes through several tunnels and offers spectacular views of waterfalls and lush green mountain ranges.

"We have decided to preserve the historic treasure of the 10-kilometer long Patalpani-Kalakund meter gauge rail line. We are going to come out with a special package on this fascinating rail track by December. Infrastructure and a tourism center would be developed," said Ashwani Lohani, Chairman, Railway Board.

He said that Patalpani and Kalakund stations, as well as the signaling infrastructure on the route, would be made in such a way as to give tourists a feel of the past.

"Inns would be made along the route for tourists," Lohani added.

He recalled that he had requested the railways to preserve this line when he was the chief of the MP State Tourism Development Corporation in 2008.

Lohani was speaking at a function organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here.