Batasia Loop, Darjeeling, West Bengal India

The Batasia Loop is a spiral railway 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.

This railway loop is an interesting example of engineering feat, which was constructed with the purpose of allowing the toy train to take the sharp drop in altitude between Ghoom and Darjeeling, with ease. From Darjeeling station joy rides in the toy train can be availed of to Batasia Loop and back.

A war memorial was constructed in the space within the loop in 1994. There is also a 30 ft. high triangular cenotaph with the Roll of Honour engrave on it.

The main attraction of this place is the Toy Train, which is very nice when it passes through the loop inside the garden. Also there is a Gorkha war memorial inside the garden.

A variety of flowers seen in the garden and the toy train are the major crowd pullers in this place. You get the mountains, valleys and the clouds all around. Visiting this place gives you an experience which can never be equalled.

It is an fascinating experience to watch the toy train negotiating the loop through the well manicured gardens of flowers with Kanchenjunga and Darjeeling town in background.