Survey on to launch electric & hydrogen engines for DHR
SILIGURI: The world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) will soon have new electric and hydrogenpropelled engines with the aim of controlling pollution. The survey work has already commenced for this.
S K Choudhury, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM,) Katihar division, said: “The Railway Minister has given a green signal for this project. The survey has already started. Soon we will replace the diesel engines with electric and hydrogen-propelled engines.”
The initiative to run toy trains on hydrogen fuel and electricity is to prevent the tremendous environmental pollution that is plaguing the hill town.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already given green signal for the two. After his clearance, the survey work has started. If all goes well, the Heritage Toy train will be running on electricity and hydrogen fuel in the next two years.
Meanwhile, the DRM also said that within the month of April, a large number of passengers have availed the service of the DHR. About 30000 passengers boarded the train in the month of April this year.
The initiative is to prevent the tremendous environmental pollution that is plaguing the hill town
“The DHR is a major tourist attraction. A large number of tourists have visited Darjeeling in April and May this year. About 30 thousand tourists rode the DHR in the month of April. In 2021, 1 lakh 10 thousand tourists had availed DHR services. 1 lakh, 50 thousand tourists rode the toy train in 2022. We will surpass that number this year as well,” the DRM added.