Now Reading: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to run special joyrides for Durga Puja
-
01
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to run special joyrides for Durga Puja
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) will operate special joyride services on short routes during Durga Puja starting October 1, an official said on Wednesday. Services include four single-trip diesel joyrides between Darjeeling and Ghum at Rs 800 per passenger, and two round-trip services between Kurseong and Mahanadi.
One round-trip, named 'Red Panda', will be steam-hauled at Rs 1,530 per passenger. The second round-trip, 'Mukta Dhara', named after Rabindranath Tagore's poem, will be diesel-operated at Rs 1,030 per passenger. DHR official Prateeksha Chetri said the services aim to offer tourists a heritage experience amid the hills' scenic beauty during the festive season.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage site operational since 1881, is among the few remaining steam-era mountain railways in the world. The special Durga Puja joyrides offer a rare chance for passengers to ride a steam locomotive on a working heritage line, an experience that has become increasingly limited as the railway shifts to diesel for regular services. The naming of a trip after Tagore's 'Mukta Dhara' poem ties the ride to the Paglajhora stream, a local landmark whose waterfall is a popular tourist stop along the route. For visitors, the key trade-off is between the cheaper diesel rides and the premium steam-hauled 'Red Panda' trip at Rs 1,530. The services run from October 1, aligning with the peak festive tourism season in the hills.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
