The toy train service of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has earned nearly Rs 20 crore in the past fiscal, considered the highest in the history of the heritage mountain railway.

Also, more than 1.5 lakh passengers have travelled in toy trains during this period, the highest footfall that the DHR has ever recorded.

“In 2022-23 fiscal, the total earning was Rs 19.21 crore while 1.56 lakh passengers boarded toy trains. In DHR, the earning, as well as the number of passengers, is highest in its history,” said Priyansh, the DHR director.

According to him, the earning is more than double that of the preceding fiscal. In 2021-22, the total earning was Rs 7.92 crore.

The hill railway, which started its journey in 1881, could manage to earn Rs 11.91 crore in 2018-19, which before the 2022-23 fiscal was thehighest. In 2018-19, the number of passengers touched the1.18 lakh mark.

“However, in the last fiscal, we surpassed the earlier records. It is indeed an achievement and proves that more and more people are getting attracted to the toy train,” said a railway official.

In 1999, DHR was conferred the status of a world heritage site by Unesco.

Sources in the hill railway said that in the past five years, a number of new services like daylong short rides from Siliguri Junction and New Jalpaiguri, tea-jungle safari with on-board dining facilities and chartered services, and vistadome and air-conditioned coaches have increased its popularity among tourists.

“We have worked on a plan to increase the number of seats in DHR and it has helped. Also, the new services opened new options before people, and thus, the footfall increased,” the official added.

A few days back, the DHR had organised a special ride between Ghoom and Darjeeling stations for delegates, including those from abroad, who were here to attend a meeting of the G20 tourism working group.

As of now, DHR runs a regular service between Darjeeling and New Jalpaiguri and 12 joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom.