A fresh landslide has disrupted rail connectivity in the hills, damaging the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’s (DHR) toy train tracks near Tindharia a few days after a similar slide had affected National Highway 10 — the lifeline linking Siliguri with Sikkim via Kalimpong.
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A fresh landslide has disrupted rail connectivity in the hills, damaging the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’s (DHR) toy train tracks near Tindharia a few days after a similar slide had affected National Highway 10 — the lifeline linking Siliguri with Sikkim via Kalimpong.
The slide occurred on Friday near Tindharia in Kurseong subdivision, piling debris across the railway track between Rongtong and Tindharia. As a result, the movement of the toy train between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling has been suspended since Friday. Restoration work is currently underway at the affected stretch.
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Railway officials said the late spell of monsoon had triggered the landslide, raising concerns ahead of the upcoming festive season when tourist inflow traditionally surges. DHR authorities had already introduced several new initiatives — including short-distance rides and festival-themed services — to attract visitors this year.
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A senior DHR official said, “We expect regular toy train services between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling to resume from September 16.” In the meantime, the mountain railway continues to operate its regular passenger service between Kurseong and Darjeeling, along with joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom.
Despite the setback, the DHR management has reiterated its plan to roll out additional short-distance toy train services shortly, keeping the festive rush in mind.
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