DARJEELING, : After more than eight decades,
the historic turntable of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) at Kurseong has
been officially restored and declared operational.
The turntable, which enables
the toy train locomotive to make a 180-degree turn, last functioned in 1943. It
was inaugurated Thursday after an extensive renovation work by the DHR at Kurseong railway station.
“The DHR still operates on the
old system left behind by the British. Over the years, several components
became defunct due to a lack of maintenance and reduced necessity. The
turntable at Kurseong was one such facility that had been out of use for
decades,” said Surendra Kumar, divisional railway manager of Northeast Frontier
Railway (NFR), after inaugurating the restored turntable.
Kumar said that the turntable’s
revival not only preserves the heritage value of the DHR but also enhances
operational efficiency. “its restoration will reduce fuel consumption and save
time. Previously, in the absence of a turntable, locomotives had to perform
complex reversing manoeuvres, as Kurseong lacks a loop for turning. With the
turntable back in use, these challenges will be overcome,” he added.
According to DHR officials, the
renovation took around four months. Multiple trials were conducted before the
official reopening.
Kumar also informed that
efforts are being made to preserve the DHR’s heritage status including
repairing railway tracks at various locations.
Regarding the advertisements on
the toy train coaches, he said, “We had introduced advertisements to generate
revenue, but we are gradually removing them. They will remain only until the
existing contracts with the advertising companies expire.” The advertisements
had drawn criticism from heritage enthusiasts, who argued that they compromised
the aesthetic and historical value of the iconic train.
Additionally, to cater to the
increased demand during the upcoming tourist season, DHR plans to introduce
extra joy ride trips between Darjeeling and Ghoom.
