Three mountain railways of India are on the UNESCO World Heritage Site for varied reasons.
Well preserved
Being
functional and operating smoothly to this day, they are living examples
of the engineering skills of the 19th century, especially as they take
on the tough terrains of the mountains.
This system of
transportation also brought about economic, social and cultural
development in the regions as they linked the mountains to the plains.
Many communities settled in the mountains, earned their livelihood and
spread their culture, as they still continue to do so.
Though over
a century old, these railways are well maintained and conserved,
retaining their original look and feel. Despite natural threats like
earthquakes, forest fires, landslides, rockfalls and heavy monsoon
rains, the tracks are regularly checked and maintenance work is done
immediately when necessary.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Located
in the foothills of the Himalayas, in West Bengal, Northeast India, the
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway began operations in 1881. It is the first
and still the best example of a hill passenger railway. It consists of
88.48 kms of two-feet meter gauge tracks, which connect New Jalpaiguri
with Darjeeling. It passes through Ghum, which at an altitude of 2258
metres, is India’s highest railway station. It also features the Red
Panda service from Darjeeling to Kurseong. The main attraction of the
trains are the vintage British-built B-Class steam locomotives. The
railway continues to remain an inherent part of the region’s identity
and a major tourist attraction.
Kalka-Shimla Railway
The
Kalka-Shimla Railway in Northwest India, was built in mid 19th century.
Shimla, being the summer capital of British India and the headquarters
of the Indian army, saw the transfer of the entire government from
Calcutta to Shimla twice a year by horse and ox drawn carts. Thus, there
was a need for an easier and quicker mode of transportation, resulting
in this railway line which is a 96.6 km single track. It boasts of
having the world’s highest multi arch gallery bridge. At the time of
construction, it had the world’s largest tunnel. The line is known for
its dramatic views of the region’s hills and villages. During winter,
snow cutters are attached to the engine to clear the snow from the
track.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri
Mountain Railway is located in the Nilgiri hills in Tamil Nadu,
connecting Udagamandalam (Ooty) and Mettupalayam. The railway was first
proposed in 1854 but as it was a particularly difficult mountainous
terrain, work began only in 1891. It was completed in 1908. It scales an
elevation of 326 to 2203 metres. A unique feature of this train is that
it has a rack and pinion track, the only rack railway in India, to help
it traverse the steepest track in Asia. The rack rail is a toothed rail
that lies between the tracks. Under the carriage are fitted cogs. The
Nilgris Railway had steam locomotives. When the officials decided to
change it from steam to diesel, the locals led a campaign and demanded
the return of the steam locomotives.
The Nilgris Mountain Railway
issues Edmonson-style manual tickets for the journey to maintain its
World Heritage Site status. At Udagamandalam, many of the equipment that
was used during the British Raj is preserved.
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