A major accident occurred at the historic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) locomotive shed on Wednesday morning, as continuous torrential rainfall in the hills led to the sudden collapse of a section of its roof. The shed, a part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed DHR, was supported by old wooden and iron beams that reportedly gave way under sustained pressure from the rain.

At the time of the incident, maintenance work was underway on four heritage steam engines inside the shed. Without warning, a portion of the roof caved in with a loud crash, trapping workers beneath the debris.

Seven railway employees and mechanics, including a contractual worker, sustained injuries. Fellow staff members immediately launched a rescue operation, pulling their colleagues out from under the rubble.

Police personnel from Darjeeling Sadar Police Station and fire brigade teams quickly reached the spot. With assistance from local residents, all seven injured workers were rescued and rushed to Darjeeling Sadar Hospital.

Hospital sources confirmed that while some workers suffered minor injuries, all are currently in stable condition and undergoing necessary medical examinations and treatment.

Toy train services temporarily suspended

In the aftermath of the accident, authorities have suspended the popular DHR “joyride” services involving the four affected steam engines for Wednesday and Thursday. Railway officials stated that operations will resume only after a thorough assessment of safety conditions.

Senior DHR officials rushed to the site soon after the incident. The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of the Northeast Frontier Railway has departed from Katihar to personally inspect the situation and evaluate the extent of damage.
DHR Director Rishabh Chowdhury attributed the collapse to continuous rainfall exerting excessive pressure on the aging structure. He assured that the injured staff are receiving full medical attention and that a technical team is assessing damage to the engines and infrastructure.

Repair work and safety measures ahead

Railway sources indicated that urgent repair and restoration work will be undertaken to preserve the heritage structure and ensure its structural safety.
The incident also caused temporary traffic congestion in the area, which is currently being managed by the police. Authorities are focusing on both restoring normalcy and preventing similar incidents in the future.

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