Guwahati, October 16 (MExN): After a gap of 127 days, the world-famous narrow gauge trains services were partially resumed in Darjeeling Himalayan Railway on October 15. “A special train christened Paryavaran Parv Special train started running between Siliguri and Sukna forest following repair, maintenance and restoration of track lying unused in the section,” informed a press release from NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma. Restoration of the rest of the 87-km line is going on fast and normal train running would be resumed in few days, it said. The special train will be a daily service till October 25 and run between Siliguri and Sukna between 9-10:50AM. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway had to be stopped following the indefinite strike in Darjeeling Hills from June 11. During the strike two stations – Gayabari and Sonada - on the line were damaged, the NFR release said. Suspension of train services alone entailed a loss of around Rs. 3.8 crore and the loss due to damages to the properties are yet to be quantified, it added. After the strike was lifted on September 27, NFR started inspection, repairing and restoration of the long unused track to make them safe for train operations. HVLS fan installed at New Tinsukia station Meanwhile, as a step toward upgrading the existing facilities provided to passengers, a new heavy duty ‘high volume low speed’ type ceiling fan was installed at New Tinsukia station on October 15. The low speed type of fan provides gentle breeze covering an extended area of 892 sq. metres. The HVLS fan with a diameter of 16 feet with minimum noise level restriction of 52 decibels, and costing Rs. 3.55 lakhs per piece was installed at the station concourse area, the NFR informed in a separate release. For the first time this type of fan is being installed in an NFR station, it said adding that such fan were earlier installed at New Delhi, Howrah and Mumbai CST stations. “Similar type of facilities will be provided shortly in Dibrugarh and Guwahati stations shortly,” it added.
