Darjeeling Himalayan Railway plans nine-day Ghum Winter Festival from November 28, 2026

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway will organise the nine-day Ghum Winter Festival 2026 across the North Bengal hills from November 28 to December 6. The festival marks the 27th anniversary of the railway’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is scheduled to open with a cultural performance at Ghum railway station.

Workshops and student innovation

A hands-on robotics workshop for students will run at Sukna railway station from November 30 to December 2, in collaboration with the Tinkering Institute for Innovation.

On December 3, students are scheduled to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based innovations on Darjeeling’s culture and heritage aboard a moving heritage train travelling from Kurseong to Darjeeling.

Important Facts for Exams

• Track gauge: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway runs on 610 mm (2 ft) gauge track between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal.
• Serial heritage inscription: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was inscribed in 1999 as the first component of UNESCO’s serial World Heritage property, Mountain Railways of India.
• Gradient engineering: To negotiate steep gradients, the line uses reversing zigzags and spiral loops to gain height without rack-and-pinion traction.
• Railway administration: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is managed within Indian Railways’ Northeast Frontier Railway zone, rather than operating as an independent railway company.