Northern Railway extends special express service to Katra amid rising pilgrim rush
· Free Press Journal
In a major step to enhance passenger convenience and effectively manage the anticipated surge in pilgrim traffic during the upcoming summer season, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway has announced the extension of the reserved special express train service operating between New Delhi and Mata Vaishno Devi Katra.
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Train No. 04081/04082 (New Delhi–Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–New Delhi), which has witnessed overwhelming response in previous runs, will now continue operations for an extended period, significantly improving the chances of passengers securing confirmed tickets during the peak travel months.
Sharing details, Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, stated that the decision to extend the service was taken in view of its immense popularity and consistent 100% occupancy. He noted that the train has emerged as a highly affordable and convenient travel option not only for pilgrims visiting the holy shrine but also for tourists heading towards Kashmir and passengers boarding from intermediate stations along the route.
As per the revised schedule, Train No. 04081 (New Delhi to Mata Vaishno Devi Katra) will operate from April 15 to July 15, completing a total of 40 trips. In the return direction, Train No. 04082 (Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to New Delhi) will run from April 16 to July 16, also covering 40 trips.
In terms of timings, Train No. 04081 will depart from New Delhi at 11:45 PM and reach Katra at 12:00 noon the following day. Conversely, Train No. 04082 will leave Katra at 9:00 PM and arrive in New Delhi at 10:00 AM the next morning.The train will halt at key stations in both directions, including Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu, and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan railway station, ensuring wider connectivity for passengers across the route.
Comprising 21 coaches, the special train is expected to cater to a large number of travelers during the busy pilgrimage and tourist season. Passengers can book tickets through the official IRCTC website, mobile application, or authorized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters.Railway authorities have advised passengers to check the latest train status and schedule through the railway enquiry number 139 or the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) before commencing their journey to avoid any inconvenience.