Mountain Railway – World Cultural Heritage in India

This site covers three railway lines. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was the first and remains the most prominent example of a passenger hill railway. Opened in 1881, its design applies ingenious and bold engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an efficient railway line through stunning mountainous terrain. The construction of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 46 km monorail in Tamil Nadu State was first proposed in 1854, but due to the difficult mountainous terrain, work was only started in 1891 and completed. Built in 1908.. This railway line, with elevations ranging from 326 m to 2,203 m, represented the latest technology of the time. Kalka Shimla Railway, 96 km long, The Single-Track Working Railway built in the mid-19th century to provide service to the highland town of Shimla is a symbol of the technical and material efforts to liberate the mountainous population through the railway. All three railway lines are still operating normally.

Accreditation year: 1999
Significant changes in boundaries : 2005,2008
Criteria: (ii)(iv)
Area: 88.99 ha
Buffer zone: 644.88 ha

Table of Contents

Outstanding global value

The Indian Mountain Railways consists of three railway lines: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway located in the foothills of the Himalayas in West Bengal (North East India) covering an area of 5.34 hectares, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway located in the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu (South India) covers an area of 4.59 ha. and Kalka Shimla Railway is located in the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh (Northwest India) covering an area of 79.06 hectares. All three railway lines are still fully functional and operational.

India’s mountain railways are prominent examples of hill railways. Opened between 1881 and 1908, they applied bold and ingenious engineering solutions to the problem of establishing an efficient railway through stunning mountain terrain. They are still fully functional as living examples of the engineering enterprise of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway consists of 88.48 kilometers of 2-foot (0.610 meters) gauge track connecting New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling, passing through Ghoom at an altitude of 2258 metres. The innovative design includes six zigzag spins and three loops with a 1:31 scale gradient.
The construction of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a 45.88 km monorail line, was first proposed in 1854, but due to the difficult mountainous terrain work began only in 1891 and was completed in 1854. 1908. elevation ranges from 326 meters to 2,203 meters, representing the latest technology at the time and using a unique rack and pinion traction arrangement for slope adjustment.

The Kalka Shimla Railway, a single rail line, 96.6 km long, built in the mid-19th century to provide service to the highland town of Shimla, is a symbol of the technical and material efforts to liberate the mountainous population through the railway. The world’s tallest multi-arc corridor bridge and the world’s longest tunnel (at the time of construction) by KSR are testament to the outstanding engineering skills employed to make this dream a reality.

These railways are outstanding examples of innovative transport systems built on difficult terrain, which greatly influenced the economic and social development of their respective regions.

Criterion (ii): India’s Mountain Railways are outstanding examples of the exchange of values for technological development and the impact of an innovative transport system on development. economy and society of a multicultural region, serving as a model for similar developments in many parts of the world. India’s Mountain Railway represents an important cultural and technological transfer in the colonial context of the construction period, especially in relation to the prominent political function of the terminus, Shimla. which is still the main vector to this day.

Criterion (iv): The development of railways in the 19th century has had a profound effect on economic and social development in many parts of the world. India’s mountain railways are outstanding examples of a set of technologies, representing different stages of development in the high mountains. The Indian Mountain Railways are outstanding examples of the approach that has been provided to the plains and highlands of the Indian mountains. They are symbolic of the technical and material efforts of human society during this period to liberate the mountainous population via railways. They are well-maintained and fully functioning lifelines. They are used with the same spirit and purpose as the original ones.

Integrity

The entire length of all three railway lines including the stations are within the boundaries of the site. The property’s boundary is adequate. Structural integrity has been maintained and the general infrastructure of the lines today is very close to the characteristics of the original lines. Functional integrity has been preserved even though the lines have been systematically repaired and maintained. The integrity of use has been maintained and from the very beginning the lines have been used for long-term and large-scale transport, with all the characteristics associated with the railway clearance of the regions. mountainous areas. Traffic has been frequent and continuous to this day, and it provides a full range of original services, especially for passengers and tourists. The property is generally in good condition in terms of infrastructure, technical operation and social use allowing the property to fully express its values. The main threats to assets are climatic and geological risks, however, these risks are always part of the daily operations of the three railway lines. All three areas can be considered earthquake prone areas. However, there is also the danger of unauthorized encroachment near the Kalka Shimla Railway, especially in the buffer zone.

Authenticity

Tracks have been repaved and retaining walls rebuilt at various points in the railway’s tumultuous history, frequently disturbed by monsoon rains, landslides and falling rocks. Many station buildings on the three railway lines have been reconstructed over the course of the century, especially those destroyed by earthquakes or fires. These buildings are being restored and maintained in their latest form. Other railway-related structures have been restored and maintained in their original form. Although new rolling stock and engines were introduced, the remaining original ones were maintained. This includes the famous B-class steam engines of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The original 4-wheel wagons and bogie type wagons are still in use. The vulnerabilities are clearly related to the fact that these assets are railways in service requiring ongoing repairs and changing parts. However, we took care to ensure that these parts retain the original design and quality.

Protection and management requirements

The owners of the three properties are the Indian Government’s Ministry of Railways. All the laws of the Union of India relating to railways apply to the property, namely: the Railways Act (1989), on technical safeguards and the Public Facility Act (1971). , specifically providing for the right to evict unauthorized occupants. Legal protections in place are appropriate and the Ministry of Railways is working to apply legal provisions against illegal land occupation within the property boundary as well as the buffer zone.

The management is ensured by the Ministry of Railways and related branch offices. There is an Asset Management Plan regarding the management of land, buildings, tracks, bridges and tunnels for two of the three lines (i.e. Nilgiri and Kalka Shimla) however recommendations have been made developed to enhance these in relation to architectural features and encroachment on property boundaries. The resources are provided by the Ministry of Railways of India. Train service, station facilities, platform and passenger amenities are provided for visitors and passengers. In addition, special cruise trains are recommended. The professional staffs of the three railways and the technical support departments of Indian Railways are fully operational and well prepared for the climatic and geological risks. Over a century of operation, they have always sought to restore the integrity of the line. They often intervene for a short period of time, which helps to monitor the status of the property’s conservation. The three railway lines have the necessary technical documents for the maintenance of tracks, infrastructure, wagons and stations. Indian Railways has a central research division that looks at the climatic and geological effects of mountain lines (RDSO). It recommends protective action, especially to prevent landslides. infrastructure, rolling stock and station. Indian Railways has a central research division that looks at the climatic and geological effects of mountain lines (RDSO). It recommends protective action, especially to prevent landslides. infrastructure, rolling stock and station. Indian Railways has a central research division that looks at the climatic and geological effects of mountain lines (RDSO). It recommends protective action, especially to prevent landslides.

The three mountain railways have operated continuously since its inception. They are in generally good condition and are under regular and permanent maintenance. Traditional arrangements for railway staff to maintain tracks are considered satisfactory to ensure the preservation of the current line and future.. Both Nilgiri and Kalka The Shimla Railway lines have Management Plans that outline procedures and practices to ensure the continued conservation of the lines and their conservation values. However, the first line listed i.e. Darjeeling Railway has yet to have a confirmed Conservation Management Plan. In addition, the architectural management of the Kalka Shimla railway station buildings and their annexes, to ensure respect for the Outstanding Common Value of the property, has not been fully taken into account, and a project Medium-term projects should be drafted for this purpose. Management agencies should strengthen control over land encroachment in designated property areas and buffer zones.

For the Nilgiri and Kalka Shimla Railway, management plans need to be significantly improved in terms of architectural conservation and condition monitoring, and by involving territorial authorities, in particular. is concerned with visitor management to ensure that Outstanding Universal Values are protected.