Thane, Feb 4 (PTI) The police on Wednesday dismissed viral claims about the malfunctioning of the newly-inaugurated Malanggad funicular railway and stranded passengers.
According to police, the service was temporarily suspended only for routine maintenance and is now operating smoothly.
A senior police officer from Ulhasnagar said there was no technical failure or safety issue with the funicular railway, which connects the foothills to the Shri Malanggad shrine.
“There is absolutely no issue with the funicular railway. It was kept shut from Tuesday afternoon only for maintenance work. After the work was completed, services resumed smoothly this afternoon,” said senior police inspector Sandeep Shivle.
Shivle said he had come across messages circulating on social media claiming that the railway had got stuck and that several passengers were trapped inside the trolley.
“These messages are incorrect and misleading. No such incident took place,” he said, adding that the services are currently normal and running without any problem.
The officer, however, acknowledged that the load on the system had increased suddenly and significantly, particularly due to the ongoing yatra season.
“The number of devotees has gone up manifold. Considering the increased footfall, there was an urgent need to carry out preventive maintenance to ensure passenger safety,” he said.
The 1.2-km-long Malanggad funicular railway, touted as India’s longest, was inaugurated on January 18, 2026. The project was conceived to reduce the arduous two-to-three-hour uphill trek to the Haji Malang Dargah and Malanggad shrine to a 10-minute ride.
“The railway is functioning safely. People should rely only on official information and not panic due to rumours,” Shivle said. PTI COR NSK
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