By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 13: Cabinet Minister AL Hek ignited the toy train dream but can this be a reality in the state?
“Be it goods train, passenger train or even toy train, development should come to Meghalaya,” Hek had stated on Friday.
A logjam surrounding the introduction of railways in the state persists as the pressure groups fear it will compound the problem of influx of illegal immigrants.
Lakhs of tourists visit the state every year. The introduction of toy trains will, surely, boost the tourism sector further. However, it all depends on the stand of the pressure groups.
While a majority of the ministers favour the introduction of railways in the state, the pressure groups want the government to first put in place a mechanism to check influx before introducing railways.
When contacted, an official of the Northeast Frontier Railway said the railways has not received any proposal from the state government for the introduction of toy trains. He said it will be wonderful if toy trains are introduced.
The official also said that laying a track for toy trains till Shillong will be feasible as the city is situated at a much lower elevation of 1,525 meters. Darjeeling, the only hill station in the region to have toy trains, is located at an elevation of 2,045 metres.
The official disclosed that the Arunachal government is considering introducing a toy train till the picturesque India-China border town of Tawang.
Since its inception in 1881, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways has ferried millions of passengers, including heads of state, kings, queens, viceroys and commoners, in toy trains.
One toy train from New Jalpaiguri leaves for Darjeeling every day. The train, which has a seating capacity for 90-100 passengers, will be always jam packed as tourists make a beeline to enjoy the scenic beauty of the hilly area. The train traverses through cities, jungles and hills.
Within Darjeeling town, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways runs multiple trains with steam and diesel engines. These two-hour journeys are called diesel joyrides and steam joyrides. A passenger is charged Rs 1,000 for diesel joyride and Rs 1,500 for steam joyride.