Ooy : A total of 196 passengers of Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR) were stranded in the middle of the journey, when a big boulder fell on the track between Hillgrove and Aderley railway stations today.

The heritage train, left Mettupalayam about 40 Kms from here, at 7.10AM and force to stop as the big boulder, along with loose soil fell on the track in between the two stations, railway sources said.

The holiday passengers numbering 196 were stranded in the middle and the railways arranged buses and left them at Coonoor, some 30 KMs from the spot, they said.

The restoration works, to clearing the boulder and mud, have already begun, they said.