Overview

• The inaugural Toy Train Day on July 4 at Sukna Station was co-hosted by DHR and the North Bengal Painters’ Association and featured a drawing competition for about 80 students alongside a special song by 32 Techno India Group participants.
• Officials announced plans to introduce short-distance Joy Ride routes to attract visitors seeking quicker excursions through the Himalayan foothills.
• DHR intends to deploy modern narrow-gauge engines sourced from Ahmedabad and Bengaluru to replace aging rolling stock and improve reliability.
• Station upgrades will include enhancements to museums and workshops along the line’s 88-kilometer Siliguri–Darjeeling route to enrich the visitor experience.
• The North Bengal Painters’ Association is lobbying UNESCO to designate Toy Train Day as an official World Heritage celebration and organisers plan to make it an annual event.