Raigad: The toy train in the famous hill station of Matheran has received overwhelming response, with serving 5 lakh passengers and registering revenue of Rs.3.54 crore in the financial year 2023-24.
Nestled in the Sahyadri ranges of Western Ghats, Matheran in Karjat, located in the Raigad district, is an eco-sensitive region and is popular among tourists.
The Mumbai-headquartered Central Railway runs toy train services on the narrow gauge line winding up the mountains from Neral to Matheran.
Shuttle services are also run between Aman Lodge and Matheran.
“Matheran is the nearest and the most popular tourist destination for the citizens of Mumbai, Pune and the surrounding areas. The Neral-Matheran Toy train, which started 117 years ago, is one among the few Heritage Mountain Railways in India,” a central railway spokesperson said.
Presently, the central railway runs 4 services daily between Neral-Matheran-Neral and 16 services between Aman Lodge-Matheran-AmanLodge of which, 12 services run daily and 4 special services run on weekends only.
“A total of 5 lakh passengers have been ferried to Matheran which includes 3.75 lakh passengers between Aman Lodge and Matheran and 1.25 lakh passengers between Neral and Matheran during the Financial Year 2023-24,” central railway officials said.
Total Revenue earned stands at Rs 3.54 crore including Rs 2.48 crore between Aman Lodge and Matheran and Rs 1.06 crore between Neral and Matheran during the Financial Year 2023-24.
The central railway is also set to introduce Sleeping Pods, also known as Pod Hotel, at Matheran which will feature single pods, double pods and family pods, providing a range of accommodation options to cater to the diverse needs of tourists.
“These air-conditioned pods are designed to offer maximum comfort and privacy, equipped with modern amenities such as mobile charging facilities, locker room services, fire alarms, intercom systems, deluxe toilet and bathroom facilities, among others,” the spokesperson said.
Matheran, which means - “forest on the forehead" - was discovered in May 1850 by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the then district collector of Thane. Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay laid the foundations of the development as a future hill station.
The Britishers developed Matheran as a popular resort to beat the summer heat in the region. The Matheran Hill Railway - a popular toy train - was built in 1907 by Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy.
One can do a lot of things in Matheran – walk, trek, mountaineering and rock climbing, valley crossing, night trails, bird watching and so on.
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