Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Indian Railways has stepped in to ease the mounting travel crisis triggered by the closure of National Highway 44 between Srinagar and Jammu, announcing a special train service between Budgam and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. The move comes as thousands of stranded travellers, many of them pilgrims and daily commuters, have been left with no viable road alternative after the highway, the only surface link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country, was shut down due to persistent bad weather and associated disruptions.
The decision to introduce the special service followed a formal request from the Commercial Control office in Jammu, which flagged an alarming and sudden spike in passenger footfall at both the Srinagar and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway stations. With road transport effectively paralysed, rail authorities recognised the urgency of providing an immediate outlet for the swelling crowds and moved quickly to sanction the additional service.
Officials familiar with the matter said the special train will run between Budgam and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra once final clearance from the competent authority is in place. The initiative is designed not merely as a stopgap measure but as a structured response to prevent overcrowding at station premises, where safety concerns typically escalate whenever passenger numbers surge beyond normal capacity.
For a region where road connectivity remains vulnerable to landslides, flash floods and seasonal closures, the rail network has increasingly become a critical lifeline during periods of highway disruption. The Budgam to Katra corridor, in particular, holds significance beyond ordinary commuter traffic, given the steady flow of Vaishno Devi pilgrims who rely on this route throughout the year.
Passengers have been urged to stay in close contact with railway authorities for the finalised timetable, ticket availability and any last minute operational changes. Officials indicated that further announcements on timings will follow as the plan is formally approved and implemented on the ground.
The introduction of this special service is expected to substantially ease congestion at the two railway stations and offer much needed relief to hundreds of passengers whose journeys have been thrown into disarray. It also underscores the growing reliance on rail infrastructure as a buffer whenever the Srinagar Jammu highway, a route long known for its vulnerability to weather related shutdowns, goes out of service.
