The Kalka-Shimla railway route may have been drawing thousands of tourists to the region every year, but after undertaking the journey, visitors hardly find anything to write home about. Reason: repeated incidents of engine breakdowns. Sunday’s fatal accident goes on to prove that the situation hasn’t improved even after the track was declared a World Heritage Site.

This 105-year-old railway track, considered one of the greatest engineering feats on narrow gauge lines in the world, was first opened to the public on January 1, 1906, by the British. The track was made functional in 1903, nearly four decades after Shimla was declared the summer capital of India. Diesel locomotives replaced steam engines in the early seventies.

Currently, 14 locomotives are being used for running 12 trains (up and down) while a holiday-special train has been introduced to boost tourism.

Though sources in the Railways said it was the first-ever fatal accident on this track — a few passengers were injured when the train was derailed in the ’90s — poor maintenance of the track, tunnels and the lack of adequate security have brought the functioning of the department under scanner. Sunday’s fatal accident only indicates that the authorities are overlooking the safety of passengers.

Trains on this section start the 96-km journey from Kalka and run through 102 tunnels and around 900 bridges to reach Shimla. The 2-feet-and-6-inch narrow-gauge track passes through many small stations. A glimpse of the multi-arched galleries, like ancient Roman aqueducts, carrying the track over ravines is the major factor that attracts tourists. The sources said frequent engine breakdowns — around 300 in the last five years — had started stealing the charm of the track known for its stunning terrain and spotless engineering.

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