Malanggad Funicular Railway: Police deny social media claims on technical snag

The Thane Police in Maharashtra on Wednesday denied viral social media claims suggesting that the newlyinaugurated Malanggad funicular railway had malfunctioned and that passengers were stranded inside the trolleyOfficials clarified that the service was temporarily suspended only for routine maintenance and is now operating normallyA senior police officer from Ulhasnagar said there was no technical fault or safety concern with the railway which connects the foothills to the Shri Malanggad shrineldquoThere is absolutely no issue with the funicular railway It was shut from Tuesday afternoon only for maintenance work Once the work was completed services resumed smoothly on Wednesday afternoonrdquo said Senior Police Inspector Sandeep ShivleViral messages termed misleadingShivle said messages circulating on social media claimed that the railway had got stuck and that several passengers were trapped inside the trolleyldquoThese messages are incorrect and misleading No such incident took placerdquo he said adding that services are currently running without any disruptionThe officer acknowledged that the system has been under heavy pressure due to the ongoing yatra season with a sharp rise in the number of devoteesldquoThe footfall has increased manifold Preventive maintenance was urgently required to ensure passenger safetyrdquo he explainedIndiarsquos longest funicular railwayThe 12kilometrelong Malanggad funicular railway touted as Indiarsquos longest was inaugurated on January 18 2026The project was designed to reduce the two to threehour uphill trek to the Haji Malang Dargah and Malanggad shrine to a 10minute ride making access easier for devoteesldquoThe railway is functioning safely People should rely only on official information and not panic due to rumoursrdquo Shivle saidMalanggad funicular railway opens after 12 years cuts journey to 10 minutesAfter more than a decade marked by delays funding constraints and bureaucratic hurdles the Malanggad Funicular Railway in Thane district was inaugurated on Sunday promising to transform access to the historic hill fortThe 12kilometre cableoperated system is the first funicular railway of its kind in India and the longest in the country reducing the arduous twohour climb to Malang Gad to a smooth 10minute rideThe railway links the foothills to the hilltop that houses the historic Malanggad Fort associated with the Maurya period and the revered Mahadev Temple Until now visitors had to undertake a strenuous trek making access particularly challenging for senior citizens devotees and people with mobility limitations With the railwayrsquos longawaited opening after 12 years the site has become accessible to a wider crosssection of visitors significantly enhancing inclusive heritage tourismThe project initiated in 2013 encountered multiple setbacks over the years owing to technical upgrades funding issues and administrative changes Despite these challenges its completion is being hailed as a landmark achievement for tourism and public access to historic siteswith PTI inputs