Landslips Force Closure of Roads and Nilgiri Mountain Railway Services in Nilgiris

Overnight showers in the Nilgiris district triggered multiple landslips on October 19, 2025, disrupting vital road networks and suspending the iconic Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) services, stranding commuters and tourists in the process. Despite a respite from daytime rain on Sunday, the early morning deluge dislodged trees, rocks, and soil at over 10 locations, causing temporary halts in traffic and rail operations. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed NMR, a 108-year-old narrow-gauge lifeline connecting the plains of Mettupalayam to the hill station of Udhagamandalam (Ooty), was particularly hard-hit, with debris littering the tracks and forcing the cancellation of key trains. This incident highlights the region's vulnerability to monsoon-induced landslides, a recurring hazard in the Western Ghats that often escalates during heavy seasonal downpours, threatening both infrastructure and livelihoods in this biodiversity hotspot.

Road disruptions were widespread, affecting critical routes including Bedford near Coonoor, Kotagiri–Kodanad, Coonoor–Kattabettu, Athikodu in Sholurmattam, and Geddai near Kilkunda, where falling boulders and uprooted trees blocked pathways for hours. Traffic came to a standstill for over 30 minutes in several spots, with motorists advised to exercise caution amid the precarious terrain. The NMR's suspension impacted three services: the regular Mettupalayam–Udhagamandalam (56136) and Udhagamandalam–Mettupalayam (56137) trains, alongside special runs 06171 and 06176, leaving passengers to seek alternative road travel. Known as the "Toy Train", the NMR's rack-and-pinion system navigates steep gradients through 16 tunnels and 250 bridges, making it a lifeline for locals and a major draw for ecotourism, but such events underscore the challenges of maintaining this engineering marvel in a seismically active, rain-prone zone.

Emergency response was swift, with district authorities deploying fire and rescue teams, along with State Highways Department personnel, to clear debris from affected sites. At Joyce Road near Coonoor, municipal staff collaborated with highways officials to restore access, while Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force (TNDRF) contingents—21 members each at Mullai Nagar and Kotagiri relief centres—stood ready for contingencies. In a gesture of immediate aid, officials disbursed Rs 8,000 to a resident of Naduhatty village whose home sustained damage from the slides. The operation, though challenging due to the rugged landscape, prioritised safety and connectivity, reflecting lessons from past events like the 2019 landslips that isolated Ooty for days.

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The landslips follow intense rainfall, with Nilgiris logging 1,446.6 mm in the 24 hours ending at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday—far exceeding seasonal norms—and neighbouring Coimbatore recording 792.7 mm, per India Meteorological Department data. Climate experts link such extremes to erratic monsoon patterns influenced by global warming, which have intensified landslides in the Nilgiris over the past decade, eroding slopes and endangering tea plantations that sustain 60% of the local economy. As restoration efforts continue, authorities have urged heightened vigilance, with forecasts predicting intermittent showers through mid-week. For a district drawing over 5 million visitors annually, these disruptions serve as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between natural splendour and environmental fragility in India's southern highlands.

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