New Delhi, 16 July, 2014

A train service from New Delhi to Katra, the base of the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu & Kashmir, began with the superfast Shri Shakti Express embarking upon its maiden journey. The train has received overwhelming response and was fully booked.

“The 18-coach AC (air conditioned) train departed for Katra at 5.30 pm from New Delhi railway station and the corresponding service from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station will start at 10.55 PM tonight,” Northern Railway spokesperson Neeraj Sharma said on Monday.

It will be a daily service, departing from New Delhi at 5.30 pm to arrive at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 5.10 am the next day. On the other way, it would depart at 10.55 pm to reach New Delhi at 10.45 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the train service while inaugurating the Katra station on 4 July.

Consisting of one first AC, five AC two-tier, and nine AC three-tier coaches with a pantry car, the Shri Shakti Express would stop at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu Tawi and Udhampur stations in both directions.