NEW DELHI: The Railway’s plan for developing a toy train theme-based park at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, is all set to take off. Work will start soon for the project that is expected to give a boost to tourism in the region close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Located at an altitude of about 3,048 m and nearly 450 km from state capital Itanagar, Tawang is home to India’s largest Buddhist monastery. “Our soldiers posted in this district along the Inda-China border will also have an opportunity to indulge in recreational activities at the park with their family members. Facilities like food plaza, toy train and other recreational spots will be included in the park,” a senior railway official said.
According to Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), the park would be developed at a location about 14 km towards the Bumla pass. “The Railway is developing (the project) jointly with the government of Arunachal Pradesh for strengthening tourism and recreation facilities for our brave soldiers,” the NFR said. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had given his nod to the project at a meeting with NFR general manager Anshul Gupta in August.
“A detailed estimate of approximately Rs 15.5 crore was submitted to the state government after receiving its in-principle approval. Contracts will be awarded after deposition of funds by the government,’’ an NFR spokesperson said. With a total track length of about 2500 m, the toy train will comprise of an engine and three coaches having a capacity of 12 passengers each. The track of toy train is to be built along the periphery of the picturesque Pankang Teng Tso Lake, famously known as PTSO Lake, which is ahead on a bumpy road on a peak surrounding Tawang town.
Once the toy train comes in operation, it will be second of its kind in the eastern region of India after Darjeeling’s Himalayan Railway. The Tawang toy train project is one of the major projects of Indian Railways in Northeast India aimed at expanding the train footprint in the region. As part of its expansion plan, the national transporter has already shortlisted seven places in NFR zone to develop them as world-class railway stations.
Seven places in N-E to get world-class rly stations
Railways has shortlisted seven places — Naharlagun (Arunachal), Dimapur (Nagaland), Kamakhya (Assam), Imphal (Manipur), Sairang (Mizoram), Rangpo (Sikkim) and Agartala (Tripura) — in NFR
zone to develop them as world-class railway stations.