JAMMU, OCT 7: In a major passenger facilitation measure ahead of the festive season, Northern Railway has announced two trips of reserved Festival Special Express trains between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, aimed at meeting the anticipated surge in passenger and pilgrim traffic.
The Train No. 04083/04084 New Delhi–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–New Delhi Festival Special Express will make two trips in each direction, providing additional confirmed-seat capacity for devotees and travellers heading towards Katra during the festive period.
Train 04083 will depart from New Delhi at 2:00 pm on October 9 and October 16 and reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 3:00 am the following day. On the return journey, Train 04084 will leave Katra at 10:00 am on October 10 and October 17, reaching New Delhi at 11:30 pm on the same day.
Covering approximately 655 kilometres, the special service will comprise 22 modern LHB coaches. The train will provide connectivity through several important stations, including Sonipat, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Dhandari Kalan, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua, Jammu Tawi and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan.
The additional service is expected to provide significant relief to passengers during a period when travel demand traditionally rises sharply, particularly among devotees travelling to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
Railway authorities said another special service, Train Nos. 04081/04082, is also being operated and will continue up to October 26, further augmenting passenger capacity during the festive rush.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal, said the number of devotees travelling towards Mata Vaishno Devi increases substantially during the festive season and the additional services have been introduced to facilitate a smoother journey with confirmed accommodation.
He advised passengers to plan their journeys in advance and secure reservations through IRCTC or authorised railway reservation counters to avoid inconvenience during the peak travel period.
The Jammu Division Railway Administration has reiterated its commitment to strengthening passenger services and providing enhanced facilities to accommodate the increased movement of travellers and pilgrims during the festival season.
