Privatisation ‘could close’ Darjeeling Himalayan line
THE British-built Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, opened in 1881 in West Bengal, India, maybe under threat of losing its World Heritage Site status – and could even be closed.
The 2ft gauge line runs from New Jalpaiguri on the plains of West Bengal up into the foothills of the Himalayas, climbing nearly 7000ft to an altitude of 7218ft.
The fresh problem facing the railway stems from the Indian Government’s plans to raise £60 billion by 2025 by ‘monetising government owned assets’ such as land, roads, airports, gas pipelines, stadiums and
