Tamil Nadu Timeline

InfrastructureBritish Crown rule

Nilgiri Mountain Railway reaches Ooty

· Ooty

Nilgiri Mountain Railway reaches Ooty
A.M.Hurrell (photo)No machine-readable author provided. AHEMSLTD~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons

The rack railway from Mettupalayam, opened to Coonoor in 1899, was extended to Udhagamandalam (Ooty) in 1908.

The metre-gauge line from Mettupalayam to Coonoor was completed and opened in June 1899, using the Abt rack and pinion system on the steep section between Kallar and Coonoor. It was extended to Fernhill in September 1908 and to Udhagamandalam by 15 October 1908. The line, about 46 km long, has 16 tunnels and some 250 bridges. It was later inscribed by UNESCO as part of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site.

Related events

  1. 1819

    1. 2 Jan 1819OotyGovernance

      John Sullivan explores the Nilgiris

      Coimbatore Collector John Sullivan set out to explore the Nilgiri hills, leading to the founding of Ootacamund.

  2. 1829

    1. 23 Apr 1829 to 3 Apr 1831OotyReligion

      St. Stephen's Church founded at Ooty

      St. Stephen's Church at Ootacamund, whose foundation stone Governor Stephen Lushington laid, opened for worship in 1831.

  3. 1848

    1. 1848OotyEnvironment

      Government Botanical Garden laid out at Ooty

      William Graham McIvor of Kew laid out the Government Botanical Garden at Ootacamund.

  4. 1899

    1. Jun 1899CoonoorInfrastructure

      Nilgiri Mountain Railway opens to Coonoor

      In June 1899 the Nilgiris rack railway between Mettupalayam and Coonoor was finished and began carrying traffic.

  5. 1908

    1. 11 Jun 1908EgmoreInfrastructure

      Madras Egmore station building opens

      The Indo-Saracenic terminal of Egmore station, Madras terminus of the South Indian Railway, was opened on 11 June 1908.

  6. 1917

    1. Jun 1917 to Sep 1917OotyProtest

      Annie Besant interned

      The Madras government interned Annie Besant at a hill station for her Home Rule activities, provoking protests across India.

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