UDHAGAMANDALAM: The Tamil Nadu Government should make use of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to boost tourist traffic, Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said on Sunday.
Dedicating to the nation the inscription of the NMR as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), he suggested that the State Government promote a `Nilgiris Mountain Odyssey.` The railways would extend all help for such a project. It would be a `paying` proposition, he said, pointing out that the `Palace on Wheels` launched by the Rajasthan Government was popular, and seats were booked till 2007.
If the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department suggested such a proposal, the Chief Minister would definitely consider it, he said. A Tourism Department counter could be opened at the Udhagamandalam station.
The `Village on Wheels` project in Madurai was doing well, he said.
Mr. Velu said the Nilgiri Mountain Railway would be improved at a cost of Rs. two crores. A sum of Rs. 20 lakhs would be spent immediately on giving a facelift to the stations and improving the track. The scenic Runneymade station was being promoted as a tourist spot. The Hillgrove and Adderly stations would also be converted as tourist spots shortly. Coonoor would get an additional platform. The number of coaches would be increased to five immediately, and six soon.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was making an annual loss of Rs. 5.50 crores. Nonetheless, "we see it as a section worth several crores vis-a-vis prestige and uniqueness."
Declaring that the line would not be closed under any circumstances, he said getting the UNESCO recognition was not easy. Though it did not involve any financial benefit, it was a shot in the arm for the Ministry.
Mr. Velu said Rs. three lakhs would be given as incentive to Nilgiri Mountain Railway employees.
State Tourism Minister A. Miller, who presided, said the Tamil Nadu Government was giving priority to promoting tourism, and called for creating more facilities on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. The long awaited Nanjangud-Gudalur-Nilambur railway project should be implemented soon.
R.R.Bhandari, Member (Mechanical), Railway Board, said the granting of the UNESCO status should lead to better maintenance of the line, by both the railways and the people. Southern Railway General Manager Thomas Verghese and S.K. Sharma, Divisional Railway Manager, Palghat Division, spoke.
Rs. 20-crore proposal
Addressing a press conference later, Mr. Velu said that the Nilgiri Mountain Railway having been granted the World Heritage Site Status by the UNESCO, efforts were on get a similar recognition for the Mathiran line in Maharashtra and the Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
A Rs. 20-crore proposal had been submitted to the Railway Board to provide two steam engines and 10 coaches for the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
There was no proposal to establish a separate management for the line; nor was there any plan to extend it to Coimbatore. Privatisation of lines was not on the cards, as the railways was a service sector.