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DARJEELING | 8 DECEMBER 2025
The General Manager of Northeast Frontier Railway, Shri Chetan Srivastava, undertook a three-day review and inspection visit to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) from 6th to 8th December 2025, culminating with his presence as the Chief Guest at the Closing Ceremony of the Ghum Festival 2025.
On 6 December 2025 – Inspection & Locomotive Inauguration :
On 6th December, Shri Srivastava inspected the Tindharia–Rongtong section, reviewing ongoing works and assessing asset conditions. He inaugurated the newly built Diesel Locomotive No. 606, praising the high-quality and safety standards .
He deeply appreciated the maintenance practices being followed and took note of the various new initiatives and collaborations undertaken by DHR with external partners. He encouraged the teams to expand these collaborations, emphasising innovation, heritage conservation and enhanced passenger experience.
On 7 December 2025 – Museum Upgrades, Locomotive Launch & Heritage Celebrations:
On 7th December, the General Manager inaugurated the newly renovated Ghum Museum, expressing satisfaction over the comprehensive upgrade. Recognising its growing importance to visitors, he announced plans to further extend the museum with more informative, interactive and immersive sections.
He then flagged off the special centenary run of 806B “Queen of the Hills”, marking 100 years of this iconic steam locomotive’s service. During the inspection of the Ghum–Sonada section, he commended DHR’s efforts to maintain the track and operational safety standards while preserving the line’s UNESCO World Heritage authenticity.
Later, at Kurseong, Shri Srivastava inaugurated new Diesel Locomotive No. 607 and unveiled an improved Kurseong Archives, a significant enhancement expected to benefit locals, tourists and heritage enthusiasts.
In the evening, he graced the Closing Ceremony of the 9-day Ghum Festival at Darjeeling Chowrasta, where he announced several new measures aimed at strengthening passenger comfort, satisfaction and travel convenience across DHR.
On 8 December 2025 – Inspections Across Darjeeling:
On 8th December, the General Manager conducted inspections of various railway installations across Darjeeling, providing valuable guidance on improving passenger amenities, operational efficiency and heritage-sensitive development.
Ghum Festival 2025 – A Grand Success:
This year’s Ghum Festival emerged as one of the most successful editions yet, featuring multiple first-time initiatives including:
* Kurseong Literature Festival
* Iron Sherpa Heritage Run
* DHRUMA Music Festival
* Open-roof cultural programmes on train
* Heritage walks, exhibitions, art shows and more
With greater participation, more collaborations and significantly expanded programming, the festival has strengthened its status as the premier celebration of hill heritage, culture and rail history.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is pleased to announce that the next edition of the Ghum Festival will be held from 28 November 2026 to 06 December 2026.
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