Passengers of Nilgiris Mountain Rail stranded due to landslides

Nearly 150 passengers of the heritage Nilgiris Mountain Rail (NMR) train bound for popular hill resort town of Udhagamandalam (Ooty) were stranded for over two hours midway after landslides brought it to a halt Friday, railway sources said.

The train, which left Mettupalayam station, about 40 km from here, at 7.10 AM, had to be stopped near Kallar, after the track was blocked at three places between Aderley and Hillgrove stations due to the landslides, they said.

A rescue team rushed to the areas, removed the mud and boulders from the track, they said. The train, a major attraction as it winds its way through picturesque mountains and valleys at a slow speed, resumed its onward journey at around 9.45 AM, much to the relief of weekend tourists, they added.