Source: TH
Context: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the Indian government to explore the possibility of using green hydrogen to power the Kalka-Shimla narrow-gauge railway, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- This initiative aligns with Himachal Pradesh’s goal to become a ‘green energy State’ by 2026, and would contribute to India’s climate goals
About Kalka-Shimla Narrow-Gauge Railway:
- World heritage status: Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 8, 2008.
- Location: Spans from Kalka in Haryana (elevation 2,152 ft) to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh (elevation 6,808 ft).
- Route details: The 96.6 km single-track railway passes through 18 stations, 102 tunnels, and 988 bridges.
- Historical significance: Built in 1898 to connect Shimla (then the summer capital of British India) to the Indian rail network.
- Engineering feats: Features 864 bridges, the world’s highest multi-arc gallery bridge, and 919 curves, with the sharpest curve having a 48-degree radius.
- Construction: Built under the guidance of Chief Engineer H.S. Harington; early locomotives by Sharp, Stewart and Company, later by the Hunslet Engine Company.
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