Highway Closure: Special Srinagar–Katra Train Introduced to Assist Stranded Passengers Amid NH-44 Shutdown

Highway closure: Railways runs special Srinagar-Katra train

Srinagar, July 23: Amid the continued closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to heavy rainfall, landslides and shooting stones, the Northern Railway on Thursday introduced a special train between Srinagar and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to facilitate stranded passengers.

According to an official communication, a copy of which lies with the news agency Kashmir News Observer, the special train was introduced following a request from Commercial Control, Jammu, in view of the heavy passenger rush caused by restrictions and slow movement of traffic on the national highway.

The communication said the train will depart Srinagar at 5:00 pm and reach Katra at 8:15 pm via Banihal. On the return journey on July 24, it will depart Katra at 8:45 am and arrive in Srinagar at 11:50 am.

It said the special train will run non-stop between Banihal and Katra in both directions and will be operated with an eight-coach MEMU rake.

The additional service comes as the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has remained closed for the second consecutive day due to multiple landslides, shooting stones and road erosion at several locations, leaving hundreds of vehicles and passengers stranded.—(KNO)