Toy train service from Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri stops again

EOI, DARJEELING, 15 Jun 2015: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) seems to be jinxed by Paglajhora in Kurseong sub-division as the as the ride from Darjeeling to Siliguri of the toy train once again had to be stopped on Monday due to boulders falling on the track due to overnight rainfall.

The ride along the 80 km stretch from Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri had resumed on June 12 after a gap of five years. The service had been stopped after a major stretch of the National Highway 55 at Paglajhora was washed away by a landslide on June 14, 2010 along with the narrow gauge DHR tracks that run parallel.

The resumption of the toy train service was cut short the very next day on Saturday as huge boulders from the hillside at Paglajhora tumbled on to the tracks because of landslide due to incessant rainfall. The tracks were cleared and service resumed on Sunday.

However, the ride on Monday was cancelled again as the tracks at Paglajhora was clogged with debris and DHR authorities are not sure when to resume the long distance service. “It seems nature has shown its power again. We had to stop the service from Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri because the track at Paglajhora was blocked by huge boulders that tumbled from the hillside due to last night’s heavy rain,” said Narendra Mohan, the area officer of the DHR, today.

Excavators and manpower have been pressed into service to clear the track of the deposited debris but continues rainfall is creating problems for the authorities. “We want to clear the tracks by at the earliest but it is looking like a tall task because of the rainfall. However, we are still engaged in the clearance work,” Mohan said.

The June 2010 landslide had damaged nearly 500 meters of NH 55 at Paglajhora which is 10 km from Kurseong town. It was repaired and reopened for service in 2012 but the road at Paglajhora had to be closed again in May 2013, after over 100 metres of the reconstructed stretch was destroyed by fresh landslides.

“Tomorrow we will do a survey of the area and take a decision on resumption of the toy train service along the Darjeeling-New Jalpaiguri stretch. It all depends on the rainfall for the time,” said the DHR area officer. Other services of the DHR however have not been affected. The joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghoom and back and the normal Darjeeling to Kurseong remains open. The ride from Siliguri to Chunbatti (three stops from Kurseong) which is a jungle ride, too, is in operation.

Similarly, a stretch of 150 meters of the NH 55 was washed away by landslides at Tindharia on September 28 after the September 18 earthquake. The stretch is yet to be repaired even after four years although the union ministry for road transport and highways have sanctioned funds.