Railway Board Chairman Ashwini Lohani with others during his maiden visit to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway at New Jalpaiguri on March 20.
Maligaon, March 21 (MExN): The railways would start a second class coach service and look into the possibility of reducing fares in the internationally famed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Railway Board Chairman Ashwini Lohani announced on March 20.
On his maiden visit to the DHR, he arrived at New Jalpaiguri on Tuesday morning to take stock of the ground realities of the famous hill railway and efforts to make it sustainable. Lohani started his inspection of the entire narrow gauge section from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling on a special train and visited Tindharia workshop, Kurseong station and Loco shed, Ghum station and museum and Darjeeling Station and Loco Shed.
Talking to media persons after a day-long visit of the DHR - adjudged UNESCO World Heritage Railway, he said that all restoration work would be done to preserve the heritage character of the hill railway.
Lohani said the authorities would look into the possibility of reduction of fares in the narrow-gauge hill railway to make it more economical. A second-class coach service would be started to make the journey on the train more accessible for general public.
In order to bring a heritage feel, he directed all DHR staff to be dressed in the original uniform worn in early pre-Independence days. He directed that the ongoing facelift of the Tindharia workshop be completed by April 1.
He said senior supervisors working in DHR would be sent for foreign training to make them aware of the superior standards which are practised in maintenance and operation of narrow-gauge railways abroad. He instructed that two rail buses be made in the workshop within the next six months.
Lohani said all 14 steam engines, which are the primary USP of the Hill railway, would be revived. Air-brake modification of steam engine to be done to increase efficiency and reduce manpower requirement.
