The regular toy train service of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling will resume on Sunday.

The service was suspended for over four months after some stretches of the railway tracks were affected by landslides.

DHR director Priyanshu said on Friday that a trial run would be conducted on Saturday.

“It has been decided that the regular passenger service along the NJP-Darjeeling route will resume on Sunday. The final decision will be taken after a trial run on Saturday,” he said.

The DHR had conducted a trial run along the route on Wednesday to confirm that the tracks were safe.

The passenger service, which is popular among local people and tourists alike, was suspended on July 5 after some stretches of the tracks, which run parallel to NH110 (previously known as NH55), were affected by landslides.

A major stretch of the highway became vulnerable near Paglajhora in the Kurseong subdivision after around 100 metres of the road sunk. Some other stretches were also affected by landslides and cave-ins, which left the tracks unsafe.

“On Wednesday, the first trial run was conducted with a diesel loco along the stretches where repairs were carried out. On Saturday, another trial run with a train (a loco and two coaches) will be carried out,” Priyanshu said.

Those associated with the tourism industry welcomed the decision.

Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network, said they were waiting for the resumption of the service.

“We hope the service will resume on Sunday. Also, we have certain specific proposals for improvement of the services of DHR which we will submit to the railway officials next week,” he said.

The DHR authorities, sources said, are also making preparations for the Ghoom Winter Festival, the annual event hosted by the railways to promote the century-old mountain rail.

The third edition of the event will be held from November 30 till December 8. “The upcoming fest is significant for the entire Northeast Frontier Railway, as this year, we will celebrate the silver jubilee year of the conferment of the world heritage status by Unesco to DHR,” said an official.