Mandatory Transshipment At Katra Railway Station
Jammu: With the train to Kashmir becoming a reality soon, all the trains going to Srinagar and returning will have to stop at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi railway station at Katra in Jammu every time reported ETV Bharat.
Officials in the Railways, as quoted by ETV Bharat, stated that due to security reasons, it has been decided that Katra station will be a point where passengers will have to transfer.
“Every time a train either comes from Srinagar or goes there will stop at SMVD railway station at Katra and passengers will have to board another train for the onward journey,” an official said.
“The platform number 1 has been dedicated for trains of Kashmir and whenever a train arrives there all the passengers will have to deboard it and go outside the station. They will have to re-scan their luggage at the departure lounge and then will be boarding the train stationed at platform number one for the onward journey. The same train will not proceed to further destinations and passengers will have to wait for the next train to proceed further,” he added.
A time table of train service to Kashmir issued by Northern Railway on December 31 had mentioned that one Vande Bharat and two Mail Express trains will be running on a daily basis between SMVD Katra and Srinagar. The Railways had also issued the train timings but there was no mention of what will happen to the onward journey from Katra to the rest of the country.
As per the chart issued by the northern railways, Vande Bharat train will be leaving from Katra at 8:10 am and will be reaching Srinagar at 11:20 am, Mail Express train will be leaving from Katra at 9:50 am and will be reaching Srinagar at 1:10 pm and another Mail Express train will be leaving Katra at 3 pm and will be reaching Srinagar at 6:20 pm.
Similarly, from Srinagar the Mail Express train will leave at 8:45 am and will reach Katra at 12:05 pm, Vande Bharat will leave at 12:45 pm and will reach Katra at 3:55 pm and another Mail express will leave at 3:05 pm and will reach Katra at 6:30 pm.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on the union government to announce the inauguration date for the train to Kashmir with the inauguration expected on January 13 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit Srinagar and inaugurate Z-Morh tunnel on Srinagar-Leh national highway between Gagangir and Sonamarg reported ETV Bharat.
