Trains to link Katra soon

Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine, will soon come on the railway map, it was announced Wednesday.

Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said passenger services up to Katra were expected to commence shortly as construction of the rail line on the Udhampur-Katra section had been completed.

Presenting the interim rail budget in the Lok Sabha for the next fiscal, the minister said the rail line will help lakhs to reach the foothills of the Vaishno Devi shrine.

The small town of Katra lies in Udhampur district.

According to the minister, Kashmir's rail project witnessed a major landmark in June last year when the 11.2-km tunnel linking Banihal with Qazigund in the Kashmir Valley became operational.