New Delhi: While talking about UNESCO Heritage Sites in India, we tend to talk about the historical monuments and natural wonders. But what about railways, the mode of transport which is possibly the most popular and most used in our country, one that connects every part of the land? Yes, it has a place on the heritage list. Infact, UNESCO recognised ‘Mountain Railways of India’ as a heritage, terming them as outstanding examples of innovative transportation systems built through difficult terrain that impacted those regions in terms of social and economic development. Under the Mountain Railways of India, UNESCO considers three railways.
The three heritage Mountain Railways of India
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
The main feature of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is its Toy Train which runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal. The 88 km long journey takes place in the Toy Train and the railways were built between 1879 and 1881. It starts from an elevation of about 330 ft above sea level at New Jalpaiguri and ends up at an elevation of 7,200 ft at Darjeeling. Six diesel locomotives handle most of the scheduled service and the headquarters of the railway are at Kurseong. Notably, the train passes through six zigzag reverses and three loops.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
It was in 1854 that the proposal to construct the Nilgiri Mountain Railway first came up. However, the development of the 45.88-kilometre-long meter-gauge single-track railway was halted due to the difficult mountainous terrain. Finally, in 1891, the work started and it continued till 1908. This railway scales an elevation of 326 meters to 2,203 meters and represents the latest technology of the time. To negotiate steep gradients, it uses a pinion traction and rack arrangement and it depends on steam locomotives.
Kalka Shimla Railway
The Kalka Shimla Railway is a 96.6-kilometre long, single-track working rail link which was constructed in the mid-19th century so that the people in Shimla could travel from one place to another easily. At the time of its construction, the Kalka Shimla Railway connected the British Raj’s summer capital in India with the rest of the Indian rail system. This railway boasts the highest multi-arc gallery bridge in the world and also had the longest tunnel back then. The railway traverses a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla and is famous for the scenic beauty of the hills and surrounding villages.
UNESCO recognised ‘Mountain Railways of India’ as a heritage, terming them as outstanding examples of innovative transportation systems built through difficult terrain that impacted those regions in terms of social and economic development. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
