1
NFR and UNESCO officials during the review meeting on the heritage status of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) at NFR’s Headquarter Maligaon, Guwahati on December 8. (Photo Courtesy: NFR CPRO)
Guwahati, December 8 (MExN): The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and UNESCO today hold a review meeting on the various activities undertaken to preserve the heritage status of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), an offical release informed.
The meeting at NFR’s HQ Maligaon also discussed various ongoing projects for heritage preservation, restoration and conservation of the DHR property, said the release issued by NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda.
The UNESCO was represented Dr. Michael Pearson, expert from International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Australia and Nao Hayashi from UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Paris.
Sanjive Roy, GM/NFR; RK Verma, Divisional Railway Manager, Katihar NFR; and others senior officials represented the NFR.
Before the meeting the officials from UNESCO visited the DHR on December 7- 8 and held discussion with various stake holders there to assess and assist in its heritage management, the release said.
It further informed that an agreement was executed by Indian Railways on January 20, 2017, with UNESCO for development of CCMP (Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan) on DHR.
Review was also held on illegal construction alongside railway track and a total 6 eviction drives against unauthorised construction after surveillance of the property were launched since January, 2017, it added.
The NFR recently celebrated the 20th year of World Heritage declaration of DHR in a be-fitting manner and various steps initiated to increased the number of travellers by toy trains has been successful, the CRPO release maintained.
Total Toy train travellers during 2018 were 108940, in comparison to 64030 of 2017, it said, adding at total 93210 visitors have travelled in the Toy Train upto October in 2019.
NFR has already introduced a vista-dome coach in the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and air-conditioned coaches were developed by refurbishing two first-class coaches, it added.
At present, four services hauled by steam engine and ten services hauled by diesel engine.
