A team of senior railway officials headed by the Commissioner, Railway Safety, Southern Region, S.K. Mittal, inspected the Mettupalayam-Coonoor stretch of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) on Wednesday.
The focus was on the spots affected in the recent natural calamities like landslides and the places identified as vulnerable to natural calamities. The team also inspected the railway station and loco shed in Coonoor. Later, speaking to reporters the Divisional Railway Manager, Salem, Shubhranshu, who formed part of the team, said that the objective was to ensure passenger safety and identify places for laying roads which could be used during emergencies.
Pointing out that whenever a train is forced to stop in between stations due to technical snags or natural calamities the passengers are subjected to considerable inconvenience as they have to trek through the hills to reach the main road, he said that link roads would be constructed at a suitable place about 20 km. from the Mettupalayam station and at Katteri below Coonoor.
When asked whether more coaches would be added as the demand for seats was rising, he said that though the locomotives were sturdy all aspects would be taken into consideration before taking a final decision in this regard.
