Srinagar, Aug 09: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually flag off the brand-new Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Amritsar Vande Bharat Express on Sunday, August 10. This high-speed, premium train service will link two of India’s most revered religious sites, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine and the Golden Temple.
The launch is part of a larger rollout, with new Vande Bharat trains also being introduced in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir on the same day.
Northern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, HimanshuShekharUpadhyay, told Rising Kashmir that the train is more than just a transport service,it’s a “bridge between faith, speed, and economic growth.” He noted that lakhs of pilgrims, tourists, and traders stand to benefit, calling it a game-changer for the region.
The semi-high-speed Katra–Amritsar Vande Bharat Express will operate six days a week, excluding Tuesdays. The inaugural run on August 10 will be marked by cultural celebrations at both Katra and Amritsar stations.
According to Northern Railway, the train will operate under numbers 26407 and 26405. It will depart from Katra at 6:40 am and arrive in Amritsar by 12:20 PM, halting at Jammu Tawi, PathankotCantt, Jalandhar City, and Beas. The return journey will leave Amritsar at 4:25 PM and reach Katra by 10:00 pm, enabling same-day return trips for pilgrims and tourists.
The new Vande Bharat train boasts state-of-the-art features such as automatic doors, onboard Wi-Fi, infotainment screens, reclining seats, bio-vacuum toilets, GPS-based real-time tracking, and the Kavach safety system — ensuring both comfort and security.
With this launch, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab will each have five Vande Bharat trains (10 services each). Nationally, the total number of Vande Bharat services will rise to 150, with over 6.3 crore passengers having travelled on these modern trains so far.
A communique from PMO reads that Prime Minister will also flag off 3 Vande Bharat Express trains from Bengaluru. It includes trains from Bengaluru to Belagavi, Amritsar to Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, and Nagpur (Ajni) to Pune. These high-speed trains will significantly enhance regional connectivity, reduce travel time and provide a world-class travel experience to the passengers, it said.
Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Yellow line from RV Road (Ragigudda) to Bommasandra of the Bangalore Metro Phase-2 project, having a route length of over 19 km with 16 stations worth around Rs 7,160 crore. With the opening of this yellow line, the operational metro network in Bengaluru will increase to over 96 km serving a large population in the region.
He will also lay the foundation stone of Bangalore Metro Phase-3 project worth over Rs 15,610 crore. The total route length of the project will be more than 44 km with 31 elevated stations. This infrastructure project will address the growing transportation needs of the city, catering to residential, industrial, commercial and educational areas.
