Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that a major transformation has taken place in rail connectivity with the operationalisation of the rail link between Jammu and Srinagar. Addressing the gathering after flagging off the extended Srinagar-Jammu Vande Bharat Express service from Jammu Tawi Railway Station today, Mr Vaishnaw said it will benefit passengers from all over the country by providing access by railway to the hilly region of Jammu and Kashmir. He said the improved connectivity has significantly enhanced the ease of transportation of both goods and passengers in the region. He noted that following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the region has witnessed a continuous flow of development. 

 

The Minister noted that the Vande Bharat service in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed 100% occupancy from the very first day of operations, reflecting strong public acceptance. Mr Vaishnaw further informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Vande Bharat train service from Katra to Kashmir in June last year, and since then, more than 550,000 passengers have availed of this service. He said, keeping in view the rising passenger demand, the number of coaches in this train has been increased from 8 to 20. 

 

The Minister said that Jammu Tawi Railway Station is being redeveloped at a rapid pace with a modern design. Mr Vaishnaw informed that a total of four railway stations are currently being constructed or upgraded across Jammu and Kashmir to provide improved passenger amenities and infrastructure.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the introduction of this direct train service to Jammu and Kashmir is set to significantly enhance ease of travel, improve logistics efficiency, and promote ease of doing business across the region. He emphasized that improved rail connectivity is expected to lead to a substantial rise in tourist and pilgrim inflow to important destinations in the region. Dr Singh said this will also facilitate seamless and efficient movement of security personnel.

 

The Regular services of the Srinagar-Jammu Vande Bharat Express will begin on Saturday. The first service will depart from Jammu Tawi at 6:20 in the morning and will halt at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Reasi, and Banihal stations. The train is scheduled to reach Srinagar at 11:10 AM, after completing the journey in around four hours and fifty minutes. On its return journey, the train will leave Srinagar at 2:00 in the afternoon and arrive at Jammu Tawi at 6:50 PM on the same day.