In a landmark second for Kashmir's shipping and tourism sectors, each newly launched Vande Bharat train between Katra and srinagar began business operations on saturday with 100% occupancy.
The enthusiastic response came just a day after prime minister Narendra Modi flagged off the two high-speed trains, marking a historic jump in the location's connectivity.
In step with officials from the indian Railway Catering and Tourism business enterprise (IRCTC), the overwhelming call for it isn't always only a one-day affair. By way of saturday afternoon, the next three scheduled journeys for both trains had also sold out, with waiting lists already piling up.
All Seats Taken, Demand Soars
Train 20401, which leaves from Katra at eight a.m., has seen no empty seats considering the fact that bookings opened. The subsequent 3 trips are already absolutely booked, with a waiting list that has ballooned to over 60 passengers. In the meantime, train 20403 is not a ways in the back of — its ready listing has already crossed 50.
Those numbers paint a clear picture: there may be vast public interest in the new service, which not only gives modern-day facilities and quicker journey instances but also winds through some of India's most breathtaking terrain — from verdant valleys to snow-capped peaks.
A brand new bankruptcy in Kashmir's connectivity
Until lately, srinagar was most simply reachable through air or road. That is modified with the crowning glory of a vital rail hyperlink that has now added India's quickest trains to the heart of the kashmir Valley.
'This type of reaction showcases the developing enthusiasm around stepped-forward infrastructure,' a professional from the Railway Ministry said. 'With faster, safer, and extra secure tour alternatives now available, we assume a surge in tourism in the valley.'
Sleek, speedy, and built for the Terrain
The brand-new Vande Bharat trains were engineered to handle the vicinity's intense climate situations. The flagship Educate 26401 departs from Katra at 8:10 a.m. And reaches srinagar by 11:08 a.m., making just one quick two-minute stop at Banihal. The journey—protecting 272 km in just under three hours — offers chair automobile tickets priced at Rs 715 and executive magnificence fares at Rs 1,320.
The return leg, 26402, leaves srinagar at 2 p.m. And arrives in Katra at 4:58 p.m., with the identical quick halt at Banihal. Chair car fares on the go-back experience are Rs 880, and government magnificence is priced at Rs 1,515. Both trains will run six days a week, taking a rest on Tuesdays.
Bridging Generations of Put-Off
The inauguration of those services is more than only a transportation milestone — it's the culmination of an imaginative and prescient project more than two decades in the making. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail hyperlink, declared a countrywide assignment in 2002 after work started in 1999, is now complete.
At the heart of this engineering marvel lies the Chenab Bridge, the highest railway arch bridge in the world. The direction includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges and has been hailed with the aid of the government as 'India's boldest step in reworking connectivity inside the Himalayas.'
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