Toy train will now run at 35 kilometres/hour: Piyush Goyal

SHIMLA: In a meeting with Union railway minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday, one of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur’s demands was to increase the speed of the toy train to 35km per hour. Goyal, said Thakur, had confirmed that not only would the speed be increased to 35km, but efforts would be made to further increase it to 50km per hour.
The 97km Unesco World Heritage track has over 900 sharp curves besides 102 tunnels and 988 bridges.Many feel increased speed may not be a feasible idea due to the sharp curves along the stretch. They fear without proper precautions this could result in accidents.
Sanjay Sood, owner of Shimla’s oldest restraurant, Devicos, and president of Shimla Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association, said that the increased speed would end the idea of “joy ride” for tourists. According to him, the government should lay a new broad-gauge line between Kalka and Shimla to run faster trains.
Shimla-based writer and historian, Raja Bhasin feels that even if speed needs to be increased, it should be done by taking into account the safety of passengers. Bhasin recalls the accident that occured due to increased speed — two coaches of Kalka-Shimla train were derailed at Taksal near Parwanoo on September 10, 2015.
“I had just finished my lecture to a group of 35 tourists from UK while heading for Shimla from Kalka and had occupied my seat when suddenly a loud noise occurred and before we could understand what has happened there were cries of injured people and two were lying dead,” said Bhasin while recalling the horror. He blamed the speed for that accident.
He said at present it takes around five hours to reach Shimla from Kalka and cutting short the journey by one hour would be a good idea provided safety of passengers is not compromised. According to him, besides increasing the speed, the seats should be made more comfortable and a premier segment should be added.