Day after derailment, enthusiasm still on track

SHIMLA: On Saturday, Unesco World Heritage Kalka-Shimla Track witnessed biggest ever accident in 112 years of its existence in which two UK nationals were killed and several others hurt. However, the tragedy failed to derail the enthusiasm of tourists who lined up on Sunday for a ride in the famed toy train. The traffic was restored and Sunday saw usual movement on the tracks.
It is the joy of travelling through serpentine track passing through steep hills and lush green forests which keeps the tourists attracting to train ride. Chandigarh resident Gurpreet Kaur, who was traveling by 2:30 pm train from Shimla to Kalka on Sunday, said that she loved the adventurous ride so much that she was making this journey for the third time now in last 2 months. "Accidents do happen but it does not mean that I would stop travelling by train," she added.
Poonam Panta from Sydney, who was travelling along with her family, said that they were mesmerized by the pictures of Kalka-Shimla railway journey so they decided to take the ride. "We are riding the toy train for the first time even after coming to know about the Saturday's accident," she added.
"I find peace in traveling especially by train and I do not think yesterday's incident should scare anybody. I just want to enjoy the mountainous ride to Kalka," Jibish Mathew from Kerala said before boarding the train.
Chandigarh's Mohit considers rail transport safer than roads. "Whenever I visit Shimla, I prefer the train as along with traveling I get to see the green view all along this track which I feel is safer and better than the roadways," he said.
Jubin Mohammad Kaisen from Bangladesh said that accidents happen everywhere. "I am taking this train for the first time. I am not bothered but excited as I will get to see the beautiful view I have heard about from colleagues," he added.
Sources at Shimla Railway station said that Kalka-Shimla track was cleared and repaired at 11 pm on Saturday and on Sunday all trains except one were on time. In July 2013, the Himachal Pradesh government had demanded a fresh survey of all the tunnels and bridges on the track but the exercise was never undertaken.
A railway official said that even during the off-season of June to September they receive around 400 bookings every day, excluding the local passengers. Sources at Shimla railway station said that on Sunday the trains from Kalka to Shimla were a bit late and the 8:30 am train named-Upmix from Kalka to Shimla was cancelled due to some reasons but no major changes were made in the schedules of the rest.