One of the most iconic stops along the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) - the Ketti Railway Station - known for its idyllic beauty and for being featured in many famous movies, is being renovated after it sustained heavy structural damage during last year’s rains.
The railway station is located just a few kilometers outside Udhagamandalam town. To take advantage of its charm and its popularity, the Salem division of the Southern Railways also incorporated the railway station into its “joy ride” package in which special trains would carry tourists from Udhagamandalam to Ketti to provide them a taste of what it is like to travel the entire NMR route.
During the heavy rains in August of 2019, three eucalyptus trees fell on top of the railway station, damaging the main structure of the building. “Plenty of equipment vital for the functioning of the line are in the building, so it has been decided to re-tile the entire roof,” said an official from the Salem division.
“As we will be working on the roof, work will be done to renovate the platform as well as the fencing surrounding the railway station,” said an official, adding that the project will have no impact on the trains passing through the station when services resume.
“We expect the work to be completed in a couple of months,” said the official. The entire cost of the renovation is expected to be a little less than ₹1 crore.
