Tourists and daily passengers on the Shimla-Kalka toy train will have to disembark at Tara Devi station instead of Shimla from May 30 to June 12, as the railways begin permanent restoration work on Bridge Number 800 near Summer Hill, officials announced on Friday.
The iconic UNESCO World Heritage Railway Line suffered major damage in August 2023, when a massive landslide swept away a 50-metre stretch of the Summerhill-Jutogh section, leaving the track hanging in mid-air. A temporary fix kept the line operational until now, but Indian Railways has decided to carry out full reconstruction of the bridge.
Tara Devi Station to Serve as Temporary Terminus
“All trains will originate and terminate at Tara Devi, about 7 kilometres from Shimla, from May 30 to June 12,” said Yashanjit Singh, Senior Divisional Manager (Commerce), Ambala Division, in a press statement.
To ease the inconvenience for passengers, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will operate two shuttle buses from Tara Devi station, charging a one-way fare of Rs 22.
A total of four train services two in each direction will continue to run during the repair work, but their route will be limited to Tara Devi instead of going all the way to Shimla.