Northern Railways starts Jammu–Katra shuttle service to help stranded passengers

Jammu, Sep 1: To ease the difficulties faced by locals and stranded travelers, Northern Railways on Monday launched a special shuttle service between Jammu and Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
Four trains have been deployed on the Jammu–Katra route, and the service will run from September 1 to 15, officials said. The move is aimed at helping daily commuters, students, government employees, and laborers engaged in restoration work after the recent floods.
Rail traffic in the Jammu division had been paralyzed for a week after heavy rains and flash floods on August 26 damaged tracks and caused misalignment in several stretches of the Pathankot–Jammu section. On Monday alone, more than 50 trains were cancelled.
To manage the crisis, Railways has also been running special long-distance trains from Jammu over the past four days, carrying over 5,700 stranded passengers to different destinations.
The disruption has caused immense hardship, especially for pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi, many of whom were left stranded in Jammu. The tragedy was compounded when a landslide near the shrine in Katra claimed 34 lives.
Officials said efforts are on to restore full rail connectivity at the earliest. (KINS)