Special trains to run between SMVD Katra and Srinagar from next week amid heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir

WIth recent heavily snowfall disrupting route and transmit traffic, Northern railway system’s Jammu air division has decided to run special reserved trains between SMVD Katra to Srinagar next week to provide relief to the stranded passengers, officials said on Sunday.The decision to operate special reserved train between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Katra and Srinagar on January 27 and 28 was taken under the directions of Divisional Railway Manager (Jammu) Vivek Kumar, the officials said.They said the trains were planned keeping in mind the convenience of passengers and the absence of Vande Bharat trains on January 27 and 28.While Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, was partially opened on Sunday after remaining closed over the past two days owing to heavy snowfall in Banihal sector on Friday, flight operations also witnessed disruptions in the snow-bound Kashmir.The weather department has also predicted snowfall in most parts of Kashmir and higher reaches of Jammu from January 26 till January 27 evening.The officials said the special reserved train will depart on January 27 from SMVD Katra at 8.10 am and arrive at Srinagar at 11 am, with a stop at Banihal Railway Station enroute. On its return journey, the train will depart from Srinagar at 2 pm on the same day and arrive at SMVD Katra at 5 pm with same stoppages enroute.Similarly, the special reserved train will depart from SMVD Katra at 10.30 am on January 28 and arrive at its destination at 1.30 pm, making a stop at Banihal railway station enroute.On its return journey, special reserved train number 04630 will depart from Srinagar at 3 pm on the same day and arrive at SMVD Katra at 6 pm. The stops along the route will remain the same, the officials said.Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Jammu, Uchit Singhal said the decision to operate this special reserved train has been taken in view of the heavy rain and snowfall warning issued by the Meteorological Department for Jammu and Kashmir on January 27 and 28.“Earlier, on January 23, flight and road traffic were affected due to snowfall. Following this, stranded passengers were transported from Srinagar to Katra by the Vande Bharat train."Considering these circumstances and as an alternative to the Vande Bharat train, this special reserved train is being operated to provide passengers with a suitable option for travel to and from Kashmir,” he said.