UDHAGAMANDALAM: Southern Railway has cancelled Nilgiri Mountain Railway services between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam for three more days, from Nov 5 to Nov 7, as restoration work continues following landslides near Hillgrove.Continuous heavy rain in the Nilgiris district triggered landslides at several locations, leaving rocks, mud and fallen trees obstructing sections of the heritage railway track, officials said.Both Mettupalayam-Udhagamandalam and Udhagamandalam-Mettupalayam passenger trains will remain cancelled during the period.Track maintenance teams are working continuously to clear debris, remove trees and repair damaged infrastructure to ensure the safe resumption of services on the Unesco-recognised mountain railway route. Railway authorities said efforts were under way on a war footing to restore normal operations at the earliest.The extended suspension follows an earlier disruption on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam section, where landslides damaged portions of the track. Services have remained affected since Oct 24 because of adverse weather and repair work.Passengers have been advised to make alternative travel arrangements and follow official railway channels for updates on the resumption of services.
