GANGTOK, : Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
(DHR) today celebrated the 125th year of continuous service of the legendary B
Class steam locomotive No. 782B. To mark the occasion, a special heritage steam
train was flagged off from the iconic Ghum Railway Station, the highest railway
station in India, by Dr. C.M. Ramesh, the chairman of the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Railways, alongside Northeast Frontier Railway general
manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava.
The event was a vibrant
celebration of history, engineering and culture. Dignitaries, including Members
of Parliament and senior railway officials, gathered at Ghum station to witness
the momentous occasion. A cultural programme featuring traditional music and
folk dances of the Darjeeling Hills added a festive spirit to the proceedings,
informs a press release.
As part of the commemorative
activities, members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee visited the Railway
Museum at Ghum, where they were briefed on the on-going restoration and
conservation efforts led by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The committee
commended the dedication and craftsmanship involved in preserving the UNESCO
World Heritage site.
B Class locomotive No. 782B,
manufactured in 1900 by Sharp, Stewart & Co., continues to traverse the
narrow gauge tracks of the Eastern Himalayas. With 125 years of continuous
service, the locomotive stands as a living symbol of British-era railway
engineering and the enduring legacy of Indian Railways.
