The Northern Railways on Saturday commenced commercial operations of Vande Bharat trains between Katra and Srinagar, officials stated.The Vande Bharat express train, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Katra on June 6, connects Kashmir with the rest of the country through rail.
Passengers who boarded the trains from Katra to Baramulla, or vice versa, expressed immense enthusiasm, with many stating they had eagerly awaited the opportunity to travel to Kashmir by train.The first day of commercial operations went smoothly, as the trains reached their destinations by the evening, officials said.
They added that public excitement was high, with most of the seats booked within hours of the train’s inauguration.According to Northern Railway, two Vande Bharat train sets made four trips during the day between Katra and Srinagar.They said the train has two travel classes — Chair Car (CC) and Executive Class (EC) — with tickets priced at Rs 715 and Rs 1,320, respectively.
Meanwhile, with the new train set to begin its run in normal course as per the schedule of days and timings decided by the Railways, there is an air of optimism all over prevalent among all sections in Kashmir, those associated with business and trade in particular. They have hailed the launch of the first Vande Bharat Express between Katra and Srinagar as a game changer for entire kashmir valley at at time when situational factors are taking toll on their day to day earnings . Many see this a revival step not just for return of tourists, but also for trade and commerce in the region.
Flagged off on Friday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the high-speed rail link fulfils a long-pending demand for direct and reliable connec-tivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.They were watching eagerly, hopeful that this new railway link will remove longstanding logistical bottlenecks that have hurt business for decades."Now that it has finally happened, it will change the way we do business," they feel collectively.The train service is expected to significantly reduce travel time and offer uninterrupted transport between key regions, something the local economy has long needed.
People in all districts of Kashmir and industry experts alike believe the new rail link will not only revolutionize lo-gistics and trade in the region but also invite investments and multifold commercial activity, no matter in due course of time. Therefore businessmen and traders of Kashmir see it as a ray of hope and keep their fingers crossed in context of security situation across the region.
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