Built between 1879 and 1881, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is considered an engineering marvel | Photo Credit: Malobika Sen
The death of an 18-year-old youth who was run over by a toy train at Kurseong in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district on Wednesday has raised questions about the encroachment along the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the safety of the people who run their businesses near the tracks hampering railway operations.
Surya Routh, the deceased, a resident of Dak Bunglow More in Kurseong, fell on the tracks when the train was entering the platform and was dragged for several metres. Routh was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Built between 1879 and 1881 by British engineers, DHR operates locomotives along a two feet gauge that runs for 88km between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, and parallel to the National Highway 55 that connects Darjeeling to Siliguri. Considered an engineering marvel, DHR was accorded the World Heritage Status in 1999. One of the major challenges that comes in the operation of DHR is the encroachment of the areas along the tracks.
Speaking to The Hindu, DHR director Arvind Mishra said the death of the youth was an accident and the train was moving at a speed of about 5kmph when the accident happened. Mr. Mishra said railway officials were not at fault. “The train is called a toy train, but it does not mean it does not have momentum and will not lead to injuries if someone comes on the tracks,” he said.
This is not the first time that a person has died after being run over by the toy train, which is a major tourist attraction in the hills. On February 13, 2023, a 70-year-old man, Khadga Bahadur Tamang, a resident of Tindharia Tea Estate, died after being hit by a train. On March 28, 2022, a man died after he was run over while crossing the tracks at Dagapur on the outskirts of Siliguri. In 2019, a tourist fell to death while taking a selfie on the toy train.
DHR authorities said the “careless attitude” of people often lead to accidents. Mr. Mishra recalled an incident in which a person wearing a helmet, with a phone tucked inside it, was walking on the tracks engrossed in a conversation. He could not hear the train’s whistle and was hit by the locomotive.
Besides DHR, there are two more mountain railways in the country, Nilgiris Mountain Railway and Kalka Shimla Railways. The DHR carries about 1.3 lakh passengers annually and is trying to become economically self-sustainable.
