Overview

• Van Rani service resumed on July 17 after 2021’s Cyclone Tauktae forced a three-year suspension.
• The eco-friendly train carries up to 80 passengers along a 2.3-km overhauled route through Krishnagiri Upvan, featuring rebuilt bridges and upgraded stations.
• A second open-air toy train unit is slated for rollout following full-capacity trial runs of the new coach in early July.
• The 2024 wildlife census confirms SGNP’s leopard population has climbed to 54 from 35 in 2015 under sustained conservation efforts.
• The Maharashtra Forest Department will plant fruit-bearing trees to ensure adequate herbivore prey and support the park’s predator-prey balance.