Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: Expecting a huge rush of pilgrims in view of summer holidays across the country, the Northern Railways will be running three special trains from New Delhi to Katra from June 2 to July 30.
“Three summer special trains from New Delhi to Jammu to Katra will start operating from June 2 to cater to the rush of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims,” official sources said.
They said that the special train from New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra will start on June 2 and it will leave New Delhi Station every Friday at 11:15 pm and reach Katra next day at 11:25 am.
From Katra, they said that the train will leave every Saturday at 6:30 pm.
The special train with AC coaches will have stoppages at Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra Junction, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu Tawi and Udhampur.
The New Delhi-Udhampur-New Delhi (04075/04076) special train will run from June 1 to July 30. It will leave New Delhi every Thursday at 11:15 PM and reach Udhampur at 10:55 am next day, sources said.
They further added that in return, it will leave Udhampur every Friday at 7 pm and will have halts at Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra Junction, Ambala, Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt and Jammu Tawi stations.
Another weekly special train between New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra will relieve the pilgrims as it will make four rounds from June 3 to July 25.
The train will leave New Delhi every Saturday at 11:15 pm and reach Katra next day at 11:25 am and leave Katra for New Delhi every Sunday at 6.30 pm having stoppages at Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra Junction, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu Tawi and Udhampur.