Cept students map heritage value of toy trains for Unesco

AHMEDABAD: Who does not remember Rajesh Khanna wooing Sharmila Tagore riding in the toy train in the song 'Mere Sapno Ki Rani' in Bollywood classic 'Aradhana'. The chugging steam engines of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) have been captivating the imagination of Bollywood for decades.
Now, the attractive toy trains and engineering marvel of DHR stations have fascinated architecture students from Cept University.The students recently travelled to 12 DHR stations in Siliguri, Kurseong and Darjeeling and recorded their heritage significance.
Supported by Unesco and the UK-based Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society (DHRS), their findings will lead to the publication of a monograph that will contribute to the conservation management plan being prepared by Unesco.
"Our students have found that 11 DHR stations between the plains of Siliguri and hills of Darjeeling encounter a range of issues, from gradual decrease in passenger footfall to poorly-staffed railway personnel. This has resulted in some stations remaining closed all the time. A lot of station rooms remain unused or unattended," said Kamalika Bose, assistant professor, faculty of design, Cept.
She said: "Scenic views and vistas of the snow-clad Himalayas that attract tourists from all over the world are now severely blocked by towering buildings, electric poles and cables. The urban centres are increasing threats of pollution. The intermediate settlements and locations, which had varied significance, like Tindharia rail workshop, have faded with the advent of the diesel engine, turning them into ‘ghost towns’. Also with the stoppage of freight traffic some stations like Mahanadi, which relied on the tea industry transport, have lost significance."