The toy train service of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling stations was forced to halt for the second time this month on Saturday as a fresh landslide occurred along a stretch of the railway route on Friday night.

Sources in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and the DHR said the landslide occurred at 18th Mile between Rongtong and Tindharia stations, some 35km from here.

“The landslide was triggered by intense downpour in the hills on Friday night. As a result, boulders and rubble piled on the toy train tracks. We have no option but to suspend the train service between NJP and Darjeeling for an indefinite period,” said a DHR official.

Asked what “indefinite” could mean, he said: “We have inspected the damaged site. Considering the vulnerability of the spot and the damage caused by the slide, it seems it will take at least a week to clear the debris and restore the tracks.”

Earlier this month, a similar landslide occurred near Paglajhora — another stretch of the railway tracks near Tindharia. It forced the train movement to halt on the route from September 1 to 13. The back-to-back landslides have left the railway authorities worried as the festive season is ahead and tourists would start pouring in from next weekend.During the holidays, hundreds of tourists who visit Darjeeling want to take a ride in the toy train, a world heritage site recognised by Unesco back in 1999.

While most of them take the “joy rides” which run between Darjeeling and Ghoom, some tourists, especially foreigners, take a trip along the entire route from NJP or Siliguri Junction to Darjeeling.“We are putting in all efforts to restore the tracks as the festive season is ahead. Our team has been asked to keep vigil on the entire stretch of the tracks as rainfall is still on,” said the official.