Batasia Loop
Encyclopedia
The Batasia Loop was created to lower the gradient of ascent of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
in Darjeeling district
of West Bengal
, India
. At this point, the track spirals around over itself through a tunnel and over a hilltop.
It was commissioned in 1919.
. There is also a memorial to the Gorkha
soldiers of the Indian Army
who sacrificed their lives after the Indian Independence in 1947.. From the Batasia Loop one can get a panoramic view of Darjeeling town with the Kanchenjunga and other snowy mountains in the back-drop.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the "Toy Train", is a narrow gauge railway from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling in West Bengal, run by the Indian Railways....
in Darjeeling district
Darjeeling district
Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its beautiful hill stations and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. At this point, the track spirals around over itself through a tunnel and over a hilltop.
It was commissioned in 1919.
Geography
It is located at 27°1′0"N 88°14′50"E.Location
It is 5 km from Darjeeling, below GhumGhum, West Bengal
Ghum is a small hilly locality in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region of West Bengal, India. Ghum railway station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the highest railway station in India. It is situated at an altitude of 2,225.7 m...
. There is also a memorial to the Gorkha
Gorkha regiments (India)
The Gorkha regiments have been serving in the Indian Army ever since independence in 1947, when the Tripartite Agreement was signed. The regiments primarily consist of soldiers from India's Gorkha community and from the Gorkha tribes of Nepal...
soldiers of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
who sacrificed their lives after the Indian Independence in 1947.. From the Batasia Loop one can get a panoramic view of Darjeeling town with the Kanchenjunga and other snowy mountains in the back-drop.
See also
- Balloon loopBalloon loopA balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
- History of Darjeeling Himalayan RailwayHistory of Darjeeling Himalayan RailwayThe Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the "Toy Train", is a narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal, run by the Indian Railways....
- Zig zag (railway)Zig Zag (railway)A railway zig zag, also called a switchback, is a way of climbing hills in difficult country with a minimal need for tunnels and heavy earthworks. For a short distance , the direction of travel is reversed, before the original direction is resumed.A location on railways constructed e.g...