The World Heritage Status Of Darjeeling Toy Train Is Under Threat

Tag : India, World Heritage Sites, UNESCO, world heritage, Darjeeling, Toy Train

 DARJEELING: The Darjeeling’s toy train which is the World Heritage status of Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR) is also one of the tourist places where various scenes and songs of the Bollywood films are being shot. But the same heritage might be under threat if certain implementations are not done as recommended by the UNESCO.

The experts of UNESCO said that the trains which run between Siliguri and Darjeeling should be brought under a spate management which can be within the Indian Railways. “It has been recommended in the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) for the DHR that a separate management structure within the Indian Railways be developed for this world heritage site. The Indian Railways have responded positively and we expect it to be implemented within the next 18 months”, said Paul Atkins, an expert at UNESCO.

The Darjeeling Steam Tramways is the name for the section between Siliguri and Kurseong, which had opened on August 23, 1880. That day is considered as the foundation day of the DHR. And it was in December 2, 1999 when the DHR was declared as the world heritage site by UNESCO. A Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) is being prepared for the DHR where the team of UNESCO is working on the two year project whose estimated cost is US $5.33 lakh.

“The UNESCO has been told by a number of professionals that DHR is not meeting the criteria of a world heritage site. The problems include the encroachment of land on the two sides of the tracks. Fifty percent of what had been listed in 1999 has disappeared,” Atkins stated. The director of DHR, ND Bhutia gave an assurance by stating that the railways will implement all practical and feasible recommendations of the UNESCO committee.

Source: HINDUSTAN TIMES.

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