Record earnings for Darjeeling ‘toy train’ 

Attractive facilities provided post-pandemic to increase tourist footfalls, Northeast Frontier Railway says

June 23, 2022 03:58 am | Updated 03:58 am IST - GUWAHATI

The 141-year-old mountain railway system connects New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal.

The 141-year-old mountain railway system connects New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

GUWAHATI

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has recorded its highest-ever monthly revenue generation.

The 141-year-old mountain railway system connecting New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal is under the Guwahati-headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR)

NFR officials said DHR earned ₹3.20 crore against an expenditure of ₹2.75-crore in May. The revenue collected was 54% more than the earlier highest of ₹2.07 crore recorded in May 2018.

“The DHR has earned more than ₹4.73-crore against an expenditure of ₹4.53-crore during the current fiscal beginning April. The increased earning was achieved because of the introduction of more joyride services,” NFR spokesperson Sabyasachi De said on Wednesday.

The earnings of the DHR, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, had taken a dip in 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NFR currently operates a daily service between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, the terminal stations in West Bengal that are 88 km apart, and 12 joyride services between Darjeeling and Ghum. Four joyride services are pulled by steam locomotives and the other eight by diesel locomotives.

The DHR also introduced special services such as Steam Jungle Tea Safari, Red Panda and Him Kanya. Its special services include charter trains, special film shooting trains, and a heritage dining experience.

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