Big News For Vaishno Devi Pilgrims As Indian Railways Extends Weekly Superfast Express To Katra In J&K

In a big convenience for Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims, the Northern Railways has extended the weekly Yesvantpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin Superfast Express to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, the nearest railway station to the holy shrine, Times of India has reported.

The train would make its first journey on 4 April by departing from Yesvantpur every Thursday at 6.30 AM. It will reach its destination in Katra at 6.50 PM on Saturday. These services would initially continue till 20 June.

During its return journey it would leave Katra every Monday at 5.40 AM and return back to Yesvantpur at 3.00 PM on Wednesday.

The inaugural train from Katra railway station was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. This railway station is connected by a 25 km long Udhampur-Katra line built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,132.75 crore.

The picturesque rail line passes through seven tunnels and thirty bridges. From Udhampur it is connected to the rest of the railway network via the Jammu-Udhampur rail line.