 Early Times Report
Jammu, June 12: The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express has received a huge response with record bookings in the past six days, while seats have also been booked in advance for the next two weeks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6 officially flagged off the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat from Katra and dedicated the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (USBRL) rail link to the nation.
“The train is completely packed for the next two weeks,” said a railway official.
“No seat is available till June 26 in two Vande Bharat Express trains running from Katra to Srinagar and vice versa,” he added.
He added that seats have also been booked for the month of July, adding, “The annual Amarnath Yatra is starting from July 3, and a heavy rush is expected in view of that.”
He said that apart from tourists and pilgrims, a large number of locals are also travelling by the rail that covers the distance in three hours.
Former chief minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah also travelled to Katra from Srinagar in Vande Bharat and paid obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
He expressed that it was his dream to travel by train from Srinagar, and it has been fulfilled.
Abdullah hoped that tourism would flourish in Jammu and Kashmir with the start of the train.
The USBRL project provided seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.
The high-speed train service significantly reduced travel time between Katra and Srinagar, providing a safe, efficient, and comfortable option for both locals and tourists.
Crossing the architectural marvel, situated at a height of 359 meters above the river, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, the Chenab bridge, and the first cable-stayed Anji rail bridge, both parts of the USBRL project, the Vande Bharat travels through a scenic route, passing through tunnels and various valleys, offering panoramic views of the Himalayan region. |
