Shimla: Not a single passenger travelled in the train on the Kalka-Shimla rail track that became operational after seven months. Due to the spread of Corona infection, when the lockdown was imposed across the country in the month of March the train services were halted and the railways suffered hugely.
An empty train ran after 7 months
The 96-km Kalka-Shimla rail line is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists reaching Himachal from abroad travel in trains running on this narrow gauge line. The movement of trains on this rail track was stopped on 22 March due to Covid-19. About 7 months later, on October 21, the first festival season train ran on the Kalka-Shimla railway track, but not a single passenger travelled in it.
The festival special train departed from Kalka at around 12 noon and reached Shimla station at 5.30 pm without a single passenger.
Festival special train of railway
In view of the festival season, the Railways have run the Festival Special train on the Kalka-Shimla rail track, which will run till 30th November. In fact, during the Corona crisis, the movement of trains on this track remained closed for about 7 months.
Rail travel has also started in the process of unlocking and the Himachal government has also opened the doors of the state for tourists. In such a situation, the Railways had expected that tourists would travel by this train in view of the decision of the government and the festival season, but not a single passenger traveled in the first festival train on the first Kalka-Shimla track. According to the railway, only three passengers had made a reservation in this train but they did not travel as well.
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Railways hope for the best
On the arrival of an empty train that ran for the first time after the unlocking process had begun, Shimla railway station superintendent Prince Sethi said that service has been restored after 7 months on the Kalka Shimla track and the start has been made by running the special festival train.
The information on which has not reached the people, yet. Hence, he hopes that as soon as people get information about this train, then people will travel more and more with this train. According to the railway, this train was run on the demand of the passengers.
These days, tourists from many parts of the country including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi are turning towards Himachal. To reach Shimla, people prefer the World Heritage Kalka-Shimla rail track over the road. In such a situation, the Railways hopes that this train will run in full capacity in the coming days.
Travelers, please pay attention
One cannot travel in the festival special train run on the Kalka-Shimla rail track by the railways. This festival train has a total of 7 coaches, including 2 first-class, 3 chair cars, and 2 general coaches. First-class has a seating capacity of 36, 90 in chair car, and 56 in general coach.
Kalka-Shimla Rail Track
In 2008, the Kalka-Shimla rail track was given World Heritage status by UNESCO. During the British rule, this railway track was built between 1898 and 1903.
It is a 96 kilometer long and 2.6 feet wide narrow gauge rail track. There are a total of 18 railway stations, 880 bridges, and more than 102 tunnels between Kalka to Shimla.
Every year, millions of tourists travel by this train to sit in a toy train passing through the mountains and see the views of nature. Life is slowly returning to the track after the deteriorating situation due to the Corona period and the railways hope that once on the Kalka-Shimla track, a toy train full of tourists will be seen running.
