Toy Train services between Darjeeling and Ghoom to resume today

Darjeeling: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) will resume joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom from Saturday. The services were discontinued since June 11 after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha announced a renewed agitation for Gorkhaland followed by a 104-day long bandh since June 15. "The DHR will start joy ride services from Darjeeling Railway Station to Ghoom and back from Saturday," stated Pranab Jyoti Sharma, Chief Public Relation Officer, North East Frontier Railways. Though bandh was lifted on September 27, the Railways failed to resume services as the tracks were not fit for operations. There were landslides in numerous places and at places, the tracks were covered with weeds. The Sonada and Ghayabari stations were torched by the agitators also. Work is on, tracks are being tested. "We expect to resume services between NJP and Darjeeling soon," stated a railway official. Joy Ride service between Siliguri and Sukna had resumed on October 15. A British tourist group had also chartered a DHR train from NJP to Sukna. "Initially, we will start two steam and one diesel Joy Ride services. However, if the demand increases we will increase the number of services," added the Railway official.