Siliguri, Oct 10: Three-members of the DHR Society,
London, and an Indian travel writer, Rajen Bali, are in the region
on a `fact-finding-mission`: to explore new avenues to make
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) more popular among foreign tourists.
`The toy train is as great a monument
as the Taj Mahal and a favourite locomotive for steam engine lovers.
We are here to see if we can promote it, along with other sites,
which can attract tourists with specific interests,` said Peter
Jordan, coordinator of the tourism section of DHR Society.
`There are thousands of DHR lovers around the globe who want
to come here. We are planning to link the DHR experience with other
activities to bring tourists with diverse interests on the same
platform,` he added.
Though plans have not been chalked out, the team has a few combinations
in mind. `It could be DHR and bird watching, or DHR and religious
tourism, since this region abounds in Buddhist religious sites.
It could also be DHR and eco-tourism. Just as Taj Mahal is the local
point of tourism in the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur circuit, we would like
DHR to occupy pride of place in local tourism,` Jordan said.
`We also have plans to link the Northeast with the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railways.`
Jordan is accompanied by David Barry and Mike Bentley. Their endeavour
to revive the failing fortunes of the loss-making heritage on wheels
has been sponsored by the government of India and Kanchenjunga Tourism
Association (KTA).
`The team will submit a report to the tourism department and
offer suggestions to develop and promote the train in the European
tourist circle,` Raj Basu of KTA said. `After going around the north Bengal hills, they will go to
Assam, where DHR steam engines are still used in the Lido and Margherita
collieries to see if that could be part of the travel itinerary,`
Basu said.
`We will try to link places like Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
and tea gardens in Assam with the DHR,` Jordan said. The DHR Society, London, will also help organize packages for tourists
groups from Europe to visit these sites. `With aggressive promotion, we hope to achieve a 200 per cent
increase in foreign tourist inflow in five years,` Basu said.
Courtesy
The Telegraph |
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