SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday returned to Srinagar on the newly launched Vande Bharat Express after paying obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, calling the train service a major development for the region’s tourism and trade.
Speaking to reporters at Srinagar Railway Station, Dr Abdullah said the train would ease travel for the people of Kashmir and help transport local produce like fruit to other parts of the country more efficiently. “This is a dream I had long cherished. Today, I feel it has been fulfilled in my lifetime,” he said.
Dr Abdullah described his journey as pleasant and expressed hope that the train would not only bring more pilgrims to Vaishno Devi but also to the Amarnath cave shrine, giving a further push to tourism in the Union Territory.
He also said that the service would create new business opportunities and improve connectivity. “You can see for yourself—tourists are coming. This train is a blessing,” he said.
The National Conference president was accompanied by his grandsons Zamir and Zahid, J&K minister Satish Sharma, NC leader Nasir Aslam Wani, and party spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, among others.
According to officials, Dr Abdullah stayed overnight at the shrine and participated in special prayers. He offered prayers for peace, progress, and brotherhood in Jammu and Kashmir, and for the country’s development.
Minister Sharma, who accompanied the delegation, said the visit was significant and marked by multiple prayer offerings. “Dr Abdullah walked two to three kilometres to the shrine and prayed for J&K to regain its lost glory,” Sharma said.
The train, which connects Kashmir directly with Katra, was launched recently as part of wider efforts to enhance regional connectivity. (With JKNS Inputs)
