The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is all set to start a narrow gauge diesel loco manufacturing unit at Tindharia, a tiny hamlet in Darjeeling hills some 30km from here.

There is a workshop of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) at the site.

On Tuesday, S.K. Choudhury, the divisional railway manager of NFR’s Katihar division, who ascended to Tindharia to attend the 140th anniversary of DHR held by the DHR Lovers’ Society, said that the new unit would help augment the rolling stock, especially diesel locos, in the DHR.

In the DHR, the mountain railway that is a Unesco world heritage site, shortage of diesel locos is deemed as the main hurdle to more trains on the hilly route.

“Around two weeks back, we sent a proposal to the Railway Board for clearances so that we can set up a narrow gauge diesel loco manufacturing unit at the Tindharia rail workshop. We are waiting for approval now,” said the DRM.

He said that once the Railway Board gives a green light, manufacturing of diesel locos would start at the workshop.

Choudhury said if new diesel locos are made available, it would help start more passenger trains of the DHR between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling.

“This means more passengers. Over the past few years there has been a steady rise in the number of passengers in toy trains. It is because of the shortage of locos that we can’t run more trains during tourist seasons…,” he added.

As of now, only a pair of passenger trains runs between NJP and Darjeeling. In the rolling stock, the mountain railway has five diesel locos and 13 steam locos. The steam locos are used for popular Joy Rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom.

Right now, the entire maintenance work of steam locos are carried out in Tindharia while that of diesel locos is divided between Tindharia and Siliguri Junction.

Sources in DHR said they have taken the task to upgrade the workshop in Tindharia which started construction in 1913 and became operational in 1925. Spread over an area of 6,670sqm, it is the one-of-its-kind facility in the DHR.

“At present, there are 82 employees. Among them, 68 are technical workers, the rest are in official and clerical jobs,” said a source.

The DRM also said that the second edition of Ghum Festival will go on from November 14 to December 4.