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