Darjeeling Himalayan Rly’s Jungle Safari relaunched under PPP mode

Siliguri: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has relaunched its ‘Jungle Safari’ in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with operations supported by a private organisation. The service was formally inaugurated on Sunday at the Sukna station.

The Jungle Safari will run from Siliguri Junction to Ghayabari, passing through dense forests, scenic hills and tea gardens. Tourists will enjoy the heritage DHR train journey along with views of the mountains and surrounding greenery.

The day-long package will include breakfast at the start of the journey, lunch and an evening treat of Darjeeling’s signature momos. Visitors will also have the opportunity to spend time at Ghayabari, where Nepali folk songs and dance performances will add a cultural touch to the experience.

The train will later return to Siliguri Junction with the tourists. A total of three coaches will be included in the Safari, two operated by the private partner and one by DHR. The per-person cost for the full-day package has been set at Rs 2,199 for the private coaches, and for the coach under the railways, the one-way ticket cost will be Rs 500. No food will be served on the coach under the Railways.

Rishav Choudhury, Director of DHR, said: “With private sector collaboration, we will be able to promote DHR services more effectively and attract more tourists.

There are plans to introduce additional DHR services in partnership with private organisations in the future. Special emphasis is being given to passenger safety, and there will be no night train services,” he stated. He further informed that one of the three newly acquired DHR engines has been deployed for this Jungle Safari service, while plans are underway to launch more services using the remaining two engines in the future.

The Jungle Safari was introduced by DHR around six years ago, but had to be discontinued due to various reasons. The service has now been revived, with 21 passengers travelling in the two private coaches and around seven in the government coach on the first day of operations on Sunday.

“This is an altogether different experience. We are very happy that the Safari has resumed,” stated Rajkumar Agarwal, a tourist from Patna.