After being shut for several months, the quaint town of Matheran has opened up for tourists. Shopkeepers and hotel owners, who are dependent on tourism for their income, have heaved a sigh of relief. 

Welcoming the move, Sunil Shinde, the secretary of Shramik Rickshaw Sanghatana, said, “I would like to thank CM Uddhav Thackeray and MVA government for restarting tourism in Matheran. Since last year, locals have only been in business for four months. Since the pandemic is here to stay for a while, the only way ahead is to take precautions. The toy trainsshuttle service operates from Aman lodge station to Matheran won’t be functional on weekends and we have requested the CM to write a letter to the central railway to keep it open during weekends.”