The Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) signed an MoU with Northeast Frontier Railways on Friday in Guwahati for manufacturing and supply of components for Darjeeling Himalayan Toy Train. The function was attended by Minister of State for Railways Rajen Guhain.
The MoU was signed in the presence of HEC CMD Avijit Ghosh and Director (Finance) RC Sen.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) also known as the ‘Toy Train’, narrow-gauge railway that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal. Built between 1879 and 1881, the length of the railway is about 78 km. The daily Kurseong–Darjeeling return service and the daily tourist trains from Darjeeling to Ghum (India's highest railway station) are handled by the vintage British-built B Class steam locomotives.
DHR is listed as the Mountain Railways of India in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Maintenance of steam locomotives is a big challenge of Darjeeling Railways. Subsequently, HEC had sent a team in the month of October to Tindharia workshop to understand their requirements of equipment and spares.In December 2016, there was visit of a high-level delegation of NF Railways to HEC headed by its General Manager Chahet Ram. They were impressed to see the facilities of HEC. It was decided in the meeting for signing a MoU between HEC and NF Railways for procurement of spares and equipments from HEC.HEC is planning to enter into railway business in a big way. Present on the occasion were Chahet Ram, GM, NF Railways along with other delegation.