Srinagar, Jan 25: Facing an extraordinary rush of passengers due to prolonged road closures and flight cancellations from inclement weather, Indian Railways will operate a reserved special train between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) and Srinagar (SINA) on January 27 and 28, officials announced.
An official stated the special train will follow the route of the non-operational Vande Bharat service to ensure at least two daily trains between Katra and Srinagar during these days. It will run in both directions—SVDK–SINA–SVDK—with an en-route stop at Banihal (BAHL).
On January 27, the train departs SVDK at around 08:10 am, arriving in Srinagar in the afternoon, with the return from Srinagar to Katra in the evening. Similar services are planned for January 28 with adjusted timings for smooth passenger flow.
The rake will include a power car, luggage and brake van, multiple AC-3 tier coaches, AC-3 tier economy coaches, and a power car at the other end.
Officials have sought security clearance from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to ensure seamless operations. The move aims to relieve stranded passengers and restore connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir amid ongoing road and air disruptions.
