Infuriated over cancellations of the popular toy train services between Neral and Matheran, irate tourists resorted to a rail roko on Monday morning.
On Monday, the toy train leaving Neral for Matheran was cancelled due to a technical hitch. Peeved protesters gathered at Matheran at 1 pm and the train scheduled to depart at 1.50 was halted. They were also irked by the fact that in March, five services were reduced to four after a locomotive was sent for premature repairs.
Protesters also forced nearby shops to down their shutters. To avoid any untoward incidents, the police conducted a bandobast. The agitation subsided when the railway authorities assured that the issue would be taken up soon. The protesters’ contention was that many tourists go to the popular hill station on weekends and with one less service, they would be inconvenienced.
A few passengers who had booked tickets in advance were disappointed. “I had booked tickets three months in advance. However, now I have to look for alternatives,” said Abdullah Saifi, a passenger.