NEARLY two months after the Neral-Matheran toy train service was suspended, the Central Railway has floated tenders worth Rs 7 crore to procure equipment for restarting the service. The equipment will be used to bring in safety measures and new technology for the toy trains.

In May, train services between Matheran and Neral were suspended after two incidents of derailment in quick succession. Railway officials had then outlined plans to re-design coaches and use new technology to make the service more efficient.

As part of the measures proposed, sources confirmed that 11 coaches fitted with air-brake system have been sent to Matheran. “Eleven coaches fitted with air-brake system have already been sent to Matheran. We have also designed three locomotives that can run at 600 horsepower, one of which has been sent to the spot. The work on the second is in process,” a railway official said.

With tenders floated, the re-starting of the service is closer, but there are many gates to cross still, officials said. “A proposal to procure almost Rs2.5 crore to start work between Aman Lodge and Matheran stations and around Rs 5 crore till Neral station has been sent to the Board. Once that is done, implementing safety measures and other civil work can start, “ a CR official said.

With the service yet to receive a green signal from Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), officials said resuming it during the monsoon may not be possible. “We have received the speed certificate from the department of Research Design and Safety Organisation (RDSO). Now, a joint meeting will be held with all engineering departments concerned, and safety officers will approve the running of the train. After this, the CRS sanction can be expected,” a senior official from the Engineering department said.

However, sources said what might hold up the project is not the sanction from CRS, but the track development work. “It is not the sanction from CRS but the civil work which will take maximum time. Right from track development, conducting trial runs to implementing other safety measures, a lot of work is left to be done before the Matheran-Neral toy train service can be resumed,” a railway official said.