Train service, chartered buses for Katra demanded

Excelsior Correspondent

KATRA: Nov 4: Shiv Kumar Sharma, former president, Hotel and Restaurant Association, Katra on behalf of business community of Katra has appealed to Lt.Governor, Manoj Sinha of J&K UT for deployment of trains and charted buses to the holy town of Katra for enhancing the yatra flow to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple as limit of 15000 yatries a day has been enhanced but yatra flow at present is very low due to lack of transport facilities.
In a statement issued here, today Sharma said that likewise earlier experience Yatra flow to the holy town increases after Diwali every year and the same is also expected this year, but it is possible only, if trains and inter State charted buses are permitted so that yatries interested to visit the holy shrine get proper transport facilities.
Katra Business community also conveyed its gratitude to the LG of J&K for acceding to their demand for increasing yatra flow up to 15000 a day said Shiv Kumar Sharma.
Meanwhile, social activist Shamsher Singh Bhandari has also complimented the Government for increasing the daily yatra to holy shrine upto 15,000. He demanded that the efforts be made to increase the pilgrims visiting to other shrines of Jammu region including Sukhrala Mata in Billawar, Chechi Mata in Samba, Sarthal Mata in Kishtwar district and other shrines besides ensuring proper transport facilities to these shrines.
Bhandari supported the demand of plying of trains and chartered buses to holy town of Katra for proper transportation of pilgrims saying the flow of pilgrims will likely increase after the Diwali festival as has been a precedence.