The UNESCO has cautioned that the damage caused to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR)in the northern part of West Bengal due to the Gorkhaland agitation may put in peril the World Heritage tag it earned in 1999. <br/><br/>Two prime stations Gayabari and Sonada were torched while an arson attempt was made on Elysia Building — the headquarters of the DHR during the pro-Gorkhaland bandh that entered its 54th day today. <br/><br/>"The DHR heritage toy train is already very vulnerable, given the natural environmental surrounding and landslide and other disaster threats it faces. And now this social turmoil has added another layer of vulnerability to it," said Section Chief and Programme Specialist for Culture at UNESCO New Delhi Office Moe Chiba. <br/><br/>She said, it is a heritage symbol of outstanding universal value and with all the damage caused to it during the strike, the World Heritage status enjoyed by it, may come up for review in the next World Heritage Committee meeting in 2018. She also said that as soon as the area is made accessible, the UNESCO team will visit Darjeeling to assess the extent of damage caused to this Asia's heritage site.

The UNESCO has cautioned that the damage caused to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) due to the Gorkhaland agitation may put in peril the World Heritage tag it earned in 1999.<br/><br/>Two prime stations Gayabari and Sonada were torched while an arson attempt was made on Elysia Building, the headquarters of the DHR during the pro-Gorkhaland bandh that entered its 54th day today.<br/><br/>A UNESCO official Moe Chiba in New Delhi said, all the damage caused to it during the strike, the World Heritage status enjoyed by it, may come up for review in the next World Heritage Committee meeting in 2018. <br/><br/>The DHR heritage toy train is already very vulnerable given the natural environmental surrounding and landslide and other disaster threats it faces. Chiba said, now this social turmoil has added another layer of vulnerability to it. <br/><br/>Indian Railways and UNESCO are currently working on preparing a Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for the DHR, work on which had begun in mid-2016.