SRINAGAR: In response to sustained passenger demand, Indian Railways has decided to increase the number of coaches on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express from eight to 20, significantly enhancing capacity on the key rail corridor linking Jammu and Kashmir’s pilgrimage and tourism hubs.
Official sources said the move follows an “overwhelming response” since the train’s launch, with services consistently operating at full capacity.
“Since the launch of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, Northern Railway has been witnessing an overwhelming response from passengers. The train has consistently been running at full capacity,” officials stated.
The decision to augment the rake composition is aimed at easing pressure on reservations, reducing waiting lists and meeting rising travel demand, particularly during peak pilgrimage and tourist seasons. The route connects the base camp of the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra with Srinagar, strengthening all-weather connectivity in the region.
The train was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6 last year and has since emerged as a preferred mode of transport for pilgrims, tourists, business travellers and local commuters. Officials attributed the surge in ridership to its competitive fares compared to air travel, punctual operations, onboard catering standards, safety features and enhanced travel comfort.
A major highlight of the journey is the crossing over the Chenab Rail Bridge, recognised as the world’s highest railway bridge at 359 metres above the riverbed. The structure is considered a significant engineering milestone and a symbol of India’s expanding railway infrastructure in challenging terrain.
Unlike conventional services, the Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat has been specially engineered to operate in extreme Himalayan winter conditions, functioning in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. It is equipped with heated windshields, advanced heating systems, insulated bio-toilets and automatic doors to ensure operational reliability and passenger comfort throughout the year.
Railway authorities have also deployed a dedicated snow-removal train to clear tracks ahead of scheduled services during heavy snowfall, ensuring minimal disruption. Seismic dampers installed along vulnerable stretches further enhance safety and ride stability in the seismically sensitive region.
Adding to the passenger experience, the train serves locally inspired vegetarian cuisine. Northbound services feature traditional Dogri dishes from Jammu, while the return journey offers Kashmiri specialities, including rajma, haak saag, paneer chaman, dum aloo and kahwa, promoting regional culinary traditions.
With the proposed expansion to a 20-coach configuration, Indian Railways expects to further strengthen rail connectivity between Katra and Srinagar while improving accessibility for thousands of devotees visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine each year, alongside growing tourist inflows to the Kashmir Valley.
