New Delhi-Katra train may chug off during Navratras

LUDHIANA: The second Vande Bharat Express (Train-18), proposed to be operated on the high traffic New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra route, might commence operations before or during the Navratras, which begin on September 29, as a gift to devotees for the festival season.

Vande Bharat train is slated to run from New Delhi to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine during the Navratras. Tribune photo

Kuldip Bhatia
Ludhiana, September 18

The second Vande Bharat Express (Train-18), proposed to be operated on the high traffic New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra route, might commence operations before or during the Navratras, which begin on September 29, as a gift to devotees for the festival season.

“Vande Bharat Express has completed all trials and will be run before the festival season begins,” said a senior Railway official while quoting sources in the Railway Board.

The high-speed train, which would currently offer only AC chair car service, will reduce travel time between New Delhi and Katra, the last station on the way to the Vaishno Devi shrine, to eight hours from the present 12 hours.

The first Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 was launched on the Delhi-Varanasi route. The train to commence operations on the New Delhi-Katra route would be second rake of the new generation semi-high speed train to run at a speed of 130 kmph.

As per the tentative schedule, the train would leave from New Delhi at 6 am and arrive at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 2 pm. On its way, the train would have three stoppages of two minutes each at Ambala Cantt (8 am), Ludhiana (9.22 am) and Jammu Tawi (12.20 pm).

On its return journey, the train would depart from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi at 3 pm and reach New Delhi at 11 pm while halting at Jammu Tawi (4.18 pm), Ludhiana (7.36 pm) and Ambala Cantt (8.56 pm).

Augmentation of trains

In a bid to cope with the festival rush during Dussehra and Diwali, Railways would augment some elite trains for a limited period.

12029/30 New Delhi-Amristar – New Delhi Swarn Shatabdi Express – one AC chair car coach (from October 1 to 30), 12265/66 Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Jammu Tawi-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Duronto Express – one sleeper coach (October 1 to 30), 12425/26 New Delhi-Jammu Tawi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express – one AC 3-tier coach (October 1 to 30), 22401/02 Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Udhampur-Delhi Sarai Rohilla AC Express – one AC 3-tier coach (October 2 to 31), 22461/62 New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi Shri Shakti Express – one AC 3-tier coach (from October 1 to November 1).

Salient features of high-speed train

The travel time between New Delhi and Katra, the last station on the way to Vaishno Devi shrine will reduce to eight hours from the present 12 hours.
Vande Bharat Express is the new generation semi-high speed train to run at a speed of 130 kmph.
The train will have commercial halts of two minutes duration at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi while covering a distance of around 650 km.
The high-speed train will currently offer only AC chair car service for commuters travelling to the shrine.