With restoration works entering the final phase, the Nilgiris Mountain Rail, whose services were hit following heavy rains in November last, would become operational by last week of this month, Southern Railway sources said.
Services of NMR, a World heritage train, between Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam was affected on November 8 last year due to unprecedented rains of more than 800 mm on a single day and it was estimated that total cost of restoration would be around Rs.11 crore.
A few more works pertaining to signalling and electrical systems and other related engineering works were yet to be completed, before making the route operational, Railway sources said.
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The train restored its service between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam, an 18 km stretch, on January 5 last. The trial run of a material train over a bridge was successfully carried out on March 25, sources said, adding, the train would become operational ahead of the target date of May 15.