Mumbai: This New Year, take the funicular railway to Virar temple

In a single round, the train will be able to take 104 devotees up and down the 380-metre hillock

Devotees of Maa Jivdani, climbing nearly 1,400 steep steps to go to her famous hill temple located 1,500 metres above sea level at Virar, will soon be able to take a funicular train uphill. Trials of the funicular railway have already commenced, and services are likely to commence for the general public as a New Year's gift by January 2021.

Indian Railways' Engineering consultancy agency, RITES Limited (Rail India Technical and Economic Service), gave the green signal to the project. "Due to the novel Coronavirus pandemic, the trials got delayed, delaying the project as well. But the services will now start for devotees in a month," Rajiv Patil, trustee of the Shree Jivdani Devi Mandir Trust said.

Sources said that the services will enable devotees to cover the steep incline in seven minutes flat as compared to nearly one hour climbing up. In a single round, the train will be able to take 104 devotees up and down the 380-metre hillock. Shree Jivdani Devi Mandir Trust will spend around R32-35 crore for the project.

Also Read: Mumbai: With strict protocols, religious places reopen

"There are many such tourism attractions in the world and we are proud of the fact that Palghar district will now also be one of them," said Hitendra Thakur, president of the trust, adding that it is planning a tour package since there are many other deities in Virar area. There will be concessions for senior citizens and ladies, said Pankaj Thakur, vice president, Shree Jivdani Devi Mandir Trust.

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