Srinagar, June 6: Anticipation is running high as the first Vande Bharat Express from Katra to Srinagar is set to commence operations tomorrow, June 7. According to railway officials, the train has received overwhelming response from across the country, with all seats fully booked.
“There is considerable enthusiasm among people for the inaugural journey. All available seats have been reserved, and 36 passengers are currently on the waiting list,” said Udipan Sharma, Senior Railway Officer, Northern Railways, in a statement to Rising Kashmir.
Interestingly, bookings have come not only from residents of Jammu and Kashmir, but also from various parts of India, indicating a nationwide interest in the new high-speed link to the Kashmir Valley.
Booking for the Vande Bharat Express opened on Thursday evening. Initially, only 170 reserva-tions were made. “However, once Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the train from Katra, all remaining seats were snapped up within a few hours,” official sources said.
The Vande Bharat Express on the Katra-Srinagar-Katra route has been specially configured for the terrain, featuring eight coaches with a total capacity of 572 passengers, including 78 Execu-tive Class and 494 Chair Car seats. The train includes six Chair Car coaches and two Execu-tive Class coaches.
Due to the mountainous terrain, the train will operate at a speed of 100 kmph on this route, com-pared to its standard speed of 160 kmph on other sections of the Indian Railways network.
Northern Railway officials also confirmed that two Vande Bharat trains will operate four trips daily between Katra and Srinagar, significantly enhancing high-speed connectivity in the region.
