The 88-km Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) was constructed in 1879. The two-foot narrow gauge line connects Darjeeling town to New Jalpaiguri, offering delightful views of the scenic countryside. Colloquially known as the toy train, this major tourist attraction is an engineering marvel and a part of India’s colonial heritage. In 1999, after Unesco declared it a World Heritage Site, the number of tourist arrivals grew exponentially.
This prestigious tag is now in the danger of being revoked, following a two-day inspection by Unesco authorities a few months ago at Kurseong in Darjeeling district. After mapping the entire line and the surrounding areas, the Unesco team, working on a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), reported violations. It detected the destruction and mass disposal of heritage railway materials as scrap, and discrepancy in the renovation of two toilets at Darjeeling and Ghum stations.
Dependent on tourist income and proper maintenance for its survival, the toy train is beset by several problems, including railway staff and officials who seem ill-equipped to handle heritage conservation, damage to the tracks from frequent landslides, the traffic congestion on Hill Cart Road, a highway running parallel to the tracks, and illegal encroachments.
DHR officials now have the uphill task of rectifying these shortfalls and putting the train back on track.
Paromita Chatterjee is a Delhi-based freelance photographer
Railfan: In 1999, Unesco declared Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR) a World Heritage Site, drawing tourists from across the world
Weigh down: The railway tracks often get damaged either by landslides or due to the heavy traffic of trucks on Hill Cart Road
End game: The famous Batasia Loop, a landscaped garden near Ghum with a memorial for Gorkha soldiers who died in post Independence-wars, is the high point in the train journey
Oblivious industry: The makeshift stalls on the railway tracks have been a major hurdle in efforts to preserve the heritage value of the toy train, according to railway officials
Caregivers: Workers at Darjeeling’s locomotive shed. It is a challenge to find staff equipped to handle the specific needs of the vintage toy train
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