Nagpur: The beloved Vanbala Toy Train at Seminary Hills, a nostalgic symbol of joy for generations of Nagpurians, has once again come to a grinding halt, this time pulling the judiciary into the fray. Taking serious note of repeated breakdowns and administrative neglect, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter after it was highlighted in a local daily.
A Division Bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Rajnish Vyas has treated the issue as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and appointed Advocate Gemini Kasat as amicus curiae to assist the court. The Bench has directed Adv. Kasat to file a detailed petition within four weeks to pave the way for concrete action aimed at reviving the stalled toy train service.
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13 Oct 2025
The Vanbala, which had been reopened in December 2023 after a long seven-year gap, has stopped yet again owing to track erosion and technical malfunctions. Despite the Rs 1.20 crore revival project funded by the District Planning and Development Committee, the 1.9-km rail line and sleepers remain unreplaced, leaving the tracks unsafe for operation.
Forest Department officials admitted that the ageing infrastructure has become hazardous, saying a joint inspection with Central Railway is planned to decide whether full track replacement is necessary.
When the train was relaunched in 2023, the event had drawn wide public enthusiasm, featuring the Divisional Railway Manager of Central Railway and the PWD, which had refurbished the station and added adventure sports to attract visitors.
However, just two years later, the joyride has once again been derailed by bureaucratic lethargy and poor maintenance. Once a pride of Seminary Hills, the Vanbala now stands as a symbol of official apathy and crumbling civic oversight, with the High Court stepping in to do what the authorities failed to, get the wheels moving again.
