New Delhi, 3 July, 2014

Pilgrims will be able to directly reach Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, by rail from tomorrow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off the first train for Jammu from the the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station in Trikuta Hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Friday. Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda will join Prime Minister and wave the green flag. Katra station is equipped with modern facilities, including tourist guide counter, cloak room, waiting hall, VIP lounge, escalators and lifts and parking spaces. An estimated 10 million devotees visit the shrine every year.

Trains will be able to reach Katra directly as the 53-km Jammu-Udhampur rail line is already operational and now the the 25 km long Rs 1,132.75 crore Udhampur-Katra line, which is a part of the Kashmir rail link project, is being commissioned. Till now there are three local train services between Jammu and Udhampur and all these will now be extended to Katra. Railways is considering. Railways is considering extending Jammu Mail and Sampark Kranti Express up to Katra, besides introducing new trains, including Katra-Kalka Express, New Delhi-Katra AC express. There is also a possibility of launching a new train between Varanasi and Katra. There are demands from several zones for train services to Katra.

The train will pass through 7 tunnels and over 30 small and large bridges.There will be a small station – Chakrakhwal – between Udhampur and Katra. Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been stationed at vulnerable locations all along the track in protected bunkers to maintain round-the-clock vigil.