J&K: Railways introduce more trains from Katra to New Delhi to clear rush
Amid exodus of tourists from Kashmir Valley after terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday, Indian Railways launched another special train from Katra to New Delhi on Thursday.
'The train left Katra at 1.30 pm and it picked up passengers from Udhampur and Jammu railway stations,' said chief public relations officer of the northern railways, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyaya.
He informed that to facilitate passengers in the summer rush, additional special train services (04606/04605) have been planned from Jammu and Katra railway stations.
Similarly, a weekly train service has been notified for 5 pair of trips (on May 2, 9 16, 23 and 30 from Katra railway station.
The train will depart from Katra at 9.30 pm to Guwahati with enroute stoppages at Udhampur, Jammu, Pathankot and other multiple stoppages enroute, he said.
It will be a reserved special train with 20 coaches, he informed.
Another train service (04610/04609) has been notified for 10 pair of trips from Jammu to Banaras departing Jammu every Thursday at 6.20 am, from May 8 to July 10. Enroute stoppages will be at Pathankot, apart from various stoppages.
It will be a reserved superfast special with 13 coaches. 'Seeing the waiting list and demand, one extra third AC coach (72 berths) is being attached in 13,152 departing Jammu tonight at 8.30 pm to clear the east bound rush,' he said.
Similarly, an additional coach is also planned to be attached in the already notified special train 04082 (SVDK-NDLS) departing Katra on Thursday night at 9.20 pm.
On Wednesday the northern railway had announced two special unreserved trains from Katra to New Delhi for the stranded passengers and to accommodate the extra rush.
Several tourists including men, women and children were seen at the Jammu railway station here.
Santosh Kadam, 42, from Pune, a banker by profession, said, 'We had come on a vacation to Kashmir but Pahalgam attack has shaken us completely. If terrorists can strike at will in Pahalgam then they can strike anywhere. We have cut short out visit and are falling back.'
Kambli was with his wife, two children and his old parents.
Single lane traffic allowed on affected stretch of Jammu-Srinagar highway
Meanwhile, down traffic from Srinagar to Jammu via Ramban on rain-battered National Highway 44 is being facilitated by the traffic police. NHAI project manager Parshotam Kumar Sharma said, 'Down traffic from Srinagar is being facilitated at the affected 4 km long stretch in Ramban district. Over 8,000 vehicles, including HMVs and LMVs, have crossed Ramban.'
Sharma informed that single lane traffic is being allowed at the affected stretch.
'Full restoration of the affected stretch may take a week and there are at least two locations where traffic has to be completely halted for enabling NHAI to carry out repair works,' he said.
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