Reasi/Jammu

After starting the twin Vande Bharat trains on Srinagar-Katra route, marking the completion of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link in June, the northern railways is now eyeing to provide direct connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of country, an official said.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Jammu division Uchit Singhal said the work is underway to address the operational and security hassles to achieve another milestone in Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking to PTI after introducing a two-minute stoppage for semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains running between Katra and Srinagar at Reasi station this morning, he said it was a dream project to bring Kashmir on the railway map.

“The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, marked a historic milestone as the first rail service connecting Kashmir with Kanyakumari. The beginning has been made with the launch of rail service between Katra to Srinagar.

“The work is progressing smoothly to address operational and security hassles to provide a direct train service between Kashmir and other parts of the country soon,” Singhal said.

Starting Thursday, the Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat Express, train number 26401 and 26402, will have a two-minute stop at Reasi railway station.

The train will depart from Katra railway station at 8.10 am and arrive at Reasi railway station at 8.28 am. It will then continue its journey towards Srinagar. Similarly, train number 26402 will return to Reasi railway station at 4:34 pm.

“The stoppage at Reasi station was introduced on experimental basis (for one month) after getting approval from the railway board because Reasi station is located in the district headquarters and is considered as a very important location.

“The continuation of the stoppage at Reasi station will depend on passenger feedback and commercial viability,” he said, adding earlier, there was only one stop on the route at Banihal which is a very important trans-shipment point.

The decision to introduce the second stoppage at Reasi was taken following persistent demand from the locals and the political representatives, the official said.

He said the railway is making all out efforts to maintain connectivity and provide best services to the commuters.

“When the road connectivity was disturbed by heavy rains (in August-September), railways introduced a special train for one month to ensure hassle free travel between Katra and Banihal,” he said.

He said the train service between Katra and Srinagar has received immense praise for its speed, comfort, and reliability.

“Adding Reasi as a stopover will further strengthen the region's connectivity, benefiting pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and tourists visiting the Chenab Bridge and surrounding tourist destinations,” he said.

Senior BJP leader and MLA Reasi Kuldeep Raj Dubey, who boarded the train at the station for Srinagar after flagging in ceremony, thanked the Prime Minister and the Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for fulfilling the demand of the public.

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Welcoming the step, BJP district president Rohit Dubey said they are hopeful of the railway ministry approving a special train between Reasi to iconic structures -- the world’s tallest railway bridge over Chenab and the country’s first cable-stayed railway Anji bridge -- to boost tourism and create employment opportunities.