The Northeast Frontier Railway is carrying out an extensive renovation of the 97-year-old workshop of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway at Tindharia and plans to improve the infrastructure of Ghoom and Darjeeling stations as well.

“We want to refurbish various installations of the DHR while keeping its heritage look intact. Our chief mechanical engineer has visited the workshop and the stations during the past two days to confirm that the renovation is being carried out without any major change in the look,” said Sabyasachi De, the NFR chief public relations officer.

The Union railway ministry, sources said, has sanctioned Rs 4 crore to revamp the Tindharia workshop. The fund will be used to install machines, upgrade electrical works. among others. The workshop, which is a part of DHR, is also a world heritage site recognised by Unesco in 1999.

In 1913, the railways initiated construction work of the workshop at Tindharia, a tiny hamlet in the Kurseong sub-division of Darjeeling district, around 25km away from Siliguri.

The workshop, however, became fully operational in 1925. Since then, maintenance works of steam locos of DHR are carried out at the workshop spread over an area of 6,670sqm.

“As of now, 13 steam locos of DHR are operational. It is necessary that the workshop is conserved as it has a heritage value of its own and is one of its kind where maintenance works of the old locos are carried out. Earlier, it suffered damage in landslides,” said a railway official.

He said that in July last year, a proposal was sent to the Centre for setting up a manufacturing unit of diesel locos at Tindharia. “We are waiting for its approval,” the railway official said.

Along with the heritage workshop, the railways also intend to improve the infrastructure of Ghoom, which is so far the highest railway station in India.

“It is a popular station and thousands of tourists visit it every day, including those who take the very popular joy ride in toy trains from Darjeeling. The station will retain its heritage look. However, simultaneously, new attractions and facilities would be opened up to draw more tourists to Ghoom,” said an official.