Arun Jasrotia
Katra :DD, The much-awaited train Service from Katra to Kashmir is finally going to be a reality, with the inaugural date now officially declared. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the highly awaited train service on April 19th, a major milestone in enhancing access to the Kashmir Valley. The train will start from Katra, which is in the Reasi district, and travel through the tough Pir Panjal mountain range to reach Srinagar, later stretching till Baramulla.
The ceremony will be attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister J&K Omar Abdullah.
Prime Minister Modi’s schedule for the day is to arrive at the Udhampur Army Airport from New Delhi in the morning. Thereafter, he is to take a flight over the Chenab River to view the famous railway bridge, which is the world’s tallest railway arch bridge and an engineering wonder.
The new train service will be instrumental in creating greater connectivity between Katra, a premier pilgrimage center, and the Kashmir Valley. The service is expected to greatly contribute to the betterment of the local people through a more efficient and reliable system of transportation and also enhance the tourism sector of the region through greater accessibility by tourists from all over the nation.
The inauguration of this train service is the culmination of a difficult but ambitious undertaking, one that promises to bring a new era of connectivity and growth to Jammu and Kashmir.DD
Correspondent, Udhampur
