Free bus ride for Nilgiris Express train passengers from CBE to Mettupalayam

Due to engineering and related works to increase the length of platforms at Mettupalayam, the Nilgiri Express will be terminated at Coimbatore and start here from February 2 to March 3, an official release said yesterday.

To enable passengers alighting in Coimbatore to catch the NMR toy train and those coming down from Ooty to Mettupalayam, buses will be operated by the commercial branch of the Salem Division, between two stations, as per the timings of the Nilgiris express train, it said.

Based on instructions from Divisional Railway Manager, Hari Shankar Verma, the facility is being extended to "only reserved passengers" holding valid journey tickets.

The passengers need not to pay for this bus service, it added.

Increasing the length of platforms at Mettupalayam will enable stabling of the entire rake of Nilgiri Express there instead of leaving a portion of the train at Coimbatore, the release said.