Srinagar: Travellers are finding it difficult to book a seat in the Vande Bharat train connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, given the huge rush of commuters and limited coaches.
The two trains operating from Katra to Srinagar station and vice versa through the spectacular world’s highest Chenab railway bridge, covering the 200 km distance in three hours, are fully booked for the entire month of July, leaving commuters disappointed.
An attempt to book a Chair Car (CC) ticket on Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat (26401) train on the Railways IRCTC app on Thursday shows a waiting of 35 on July 30 and 40 on July 31. For the Srinagar-Katra Vande Bharat train, the waiting list is beyond 50. In fact, on the Vande Bharat Srinagar-Katra (26402) train, a confirmed seat can only be booked on August 7 or beyond.
The demand has surged following security restrictions and traffic advisories on the strategic National Highway 44 (Srinagar-Jammu) during the 38-day Amarnath Yatra that started on Thursday and concludes August 9.
The highway, which is under three-tier security now to allow safe and smooth passage to hundreds of Hindu devotees following the Pahalgam terror attack, is the main link between Kashmir and the rest of the country. Ranging from additional security deployments to tech-enabled surveillance, these measures come following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local pony operator were killed.
The Vande Bharat Express, which completes four trips a day, has reduced the existing travel time by about 3 hours, prompting a surge in passenger rush. Many intending passengers like Amir Ahmad said they wanted to undertake a train journey from Srinagar to avoid the hassle on the highway, but could not get a seat due to the long waiting list.
Senior divisional commercial manager Jammu Railway division, Uchit Singhal, conceded they are experiencing high demand and have sought approval from the higher authorities for augmenting the rakes. “We are increasing the number of coaches in the trains and have solicited approval for the same,” he told ETV Bharat.
The Rs 43,000 crore rail project connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country by train was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6. The track, which passes through treacherous mountains and tunnels covering 100 kilometres, was completed after four decades. But it does not provide a direct link to Jammu or Delhi due to the ongoing expansion of Jammu’s railway station, officials said.
Amid this, the train has been experiencing unprecedented rush, leaving tickets sold out and all the seats booked for weeks together since its inauguration. The train has seven coaches comprising a total of 530 seats in each train, with bookings open in August now.
This has prompted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to request the railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to enhance the service by increasing the coaches, frequency and rescheduling timing of the trains.
The current coach configuration on the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express is proving insufficient to cater to the growing passenger demand, especially during weekends, holidays, and the ongoing pilgrimage and tourism seasons, he said in a recent letter to the railways minister.
“Augmenting the train’s capacity by adding one or more Chair Car and Executive Class coaches will go a long way in addressing this surge,” he added. Abdullah said the request is based on the feedback from various stakeholders and commuters, and his own experience after travelling by the train. He has sought to increase the train’s capacity by adding coaches.
The chief minister also pointed out that the ongoing departure and arrival timings are not optimal for the working population or for those intending to undertake day-trips. He urged that the departure from Katra should be scheduled in the early morning hours and the return journey from Srinagar be timed for the late evening.
“This would facilitate same-day return travel and significantly enhance commuter convenience,” the Chief Minister added. Abdullah also pitched for an internet facility on board the train. In today’s digital age, uninterrupted internet access has become a key expectation of passengers, especially on premium trains such as the Vande Bharat, said the CM.
