DC Impact: Coonoor-Runnymede joy ride in NMR from next week

Ooty: Southern Railway has announced operation of tourist special service in the Nilgiri Mountain Railway between Coonoor and Runnymede stations.

Following reports carried in the Deccan Chronicle on May 14, NMR aficionados who pointed that Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the nearby wild stream along the Runnymede railway station. They pleaded for operation of NMR special picnic trips between Coonoor and Runnymede to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi, and to usher in the new mode of promoting NMR-based tourism in the hills.

The Salem division of the Southern Railway in a recent release stated that in order to facilitate NMR tourism, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem division, has approved the introduction of 'Round Trip Joy Ride' between Coonoor and Runnymede and vice-versa during the weekdays.

This special train has a composition of three coaches with First Class - 56 seats (II First Class - Vistadome Coach) and one Second Class (seats - 30), thus totaling 86 seats.

The first trip will commence on May 27 and the service would extend up to May 31, in the inaugural week. This special train will leave Coonoor by 11:30 am and reach Runnymede by 12 noon.

On its return, it would leave Runnymede by 1 pm and reach Coonoor by 1:30 pm. The First Class ticket fare is `450 per passenger (including value-added pack) and for the Second Class `320 per passenger (including value-added pack), the release stated.