Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: IE
Context: The over 120-year-old Kalka-Shimla Railway (KSR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been severely damaged by heavy rainfall and landslides in Himachal Pradesh.
About KSR:
The Kalka-Shimla railway line (about 96km line; built between 1898-1903 under the direction of Herbert Septimus Harington and dedicated by Lord Curzon), designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 2008 under “Mountain Railways of India,” has been a popular tourist attraction. This railway network includes two other scenic routes:
- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in West Bengal
- Nilgiri Mountain Railways in Tamil Nadu.
The Indian Railways introduced a luxurious seven-coach Vistadome train named Him Darshan Express in 2019 on the historic Kalka-Shimla route.
