Passengers boarded, final checks were completed, and the engine was turned on for one of the most breathtaking train rides in the world, traversing through the beautiful landscape of the Nilgiri mountains in Tamil Nadu. On 'World Heritage Day', Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw gave a virtual tour of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway on the social media platform X.
"The ever-charming - Nilgiri Mountain Railway," the Union Minister captioned the post, which suits the 45.8 km train ride from Mettupalayam to Ooty in Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is one of the oldest rail networks in the world. In 1899, the train network was opened and was operated by the Madras Railway under an agreement with the British Government, making it a heritage train ride.
The journey begins at Mettupalayam railway station, and the purple flowers, indicating spring, brighten the tour. Families, friends, and children onboard the train are ready to enjoy one of the most picturesque train journeys.
The lush green mountains welcome the travellers in the first phase of their journey, which stops at a station where they are greeted with traditional folk dance. The journey continues, and the train passes through a tunnel, a frame that reminds viewers of the iconic Shah Rukh Khan song 'Chaiyya Chaiyya,' from the film 'Dil Se', which featured the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
Nicknamed the 'Toy Train,' it passes through narrow streams, with a waterfall on one side and the valley on the other. The train slowly ascends the hill and traverses through 250 bridges on the section, out of which 32 are major ones and 15 are road-over bridges.
The 'Toy Train' crosses a bridge, making it look like a scene straight out of Harry Potter when the 'Hogwarts Express' passes through the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
The train's journey starts at an elevation of 300 meters and reaches 2,200 meters in Ooty. A journey that is often termed a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."
In 2005, UNESCO declared the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as a World Heritage Site as an extension to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. It has since then been a part of the greater heritage site of the Mountain Railways in India.
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