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Will UNESCO make that dream come true?

Imagine sipping Darjeeling tea and savouring the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas. Imagine meandering your way towards the famous hill-station, on board one of those century-old toy locomotives.

Well, the journey may come true by mid-1999. Provided the UNESCO declares the famous toy train route of Darjeeling a world heritage site.

The British-built 78-km narrow gauge rail connecting Siliguri in the plains of north Bengal with Darjeeling town was recommended by the Indian government for inclusion in the list of world heritage sites. The visit of its representative, Robert Lee, this January to assess this recommendation has fuelled speculation that the UNESCO would soon take a final decision.

The other potential world heritage site in India is the Victoria Terminus railway building in Bombay.

If accepted, the Darjeeling-Himalayan railway will be the second such railway in the world after the Semmering railway in Austria.

UNI

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