OUR CORRESPONDENT
Siliguri, April 4: For those who want to enjoy a ride through the forest on a toy train, there is good news.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway will resume the jungle safari between Siliguri Junction and Tindharia by the end of this month.
The forest rides on the route were stopped around two years ago because of less passenger traffic.
With the regular services between Siliguri and Kurseong stalled since June last year after a landslide at Paglajhora damaged the tracks, tourists who wanted to enjoy a DHR ride had only two options left: avail of the services on the Kurseong-Darjeeling route or between Darjeeling and Ghoom.
“We have decided to resume the jungle safari and are trying to bring in the local travel and tour operators to conduct the rides. The main motive behind starting the rides around this time is to increase the popularity of the hill railway among the tourists visiting the region this season,” said P. P. Roy, director of the DHR.
The toy trains will start from Siliguri Junction and pass through the forests of Sukna before reaching Tindharia, 30km from here, and then travel back to Siliguri.
“Three second class coaches hauled by diesel engines will be used for the rides. We have opted to conduct the jungle safari in association with private tour companies because they are better equipped to popularise the rides among their clientele and the passenger bookings are assured. The fare and the number of days they will be conducted in a week are yet to be decided,” said Roy.
He added that during the safari the toy trains will halt at Sukna station, where tourists can visit the picture gallery, and at Tindharia, where visitors can go to Agony Point, a popular loop on the DHR track.
“Tourists usually wish to travel the entire length of the DHR from Siliguri Junction to Darjeeling so that they get to enjoy the ride through the forest. But under the present circumstances where the Kurseong-Siliguri services are stalled since June, the jungle safari is a viable alternative,” said a source.
According to the DHR officials, the move will popularise the safaris among the local people as well as the tourists who visit the region.
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