SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Railways has approved the extension of the Sabarmati–Jammu Tawi Express to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, with the service set to begin from Sabarmati on October 18 and from Katra on October 20, a Northern Railway Jammu Division spokesperson said on Saturday.
The extension will provide an additional rail connection to Katra, the base for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, while offering passengers from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab another travel option.
The Railways has also sanctioned additional halts at Samba, Bari Brahmana and Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan railway stations in the Jammu region.
According to the spokesperson, the new stoppages are expected to improve connectivity for local residents, students, traders, industrial workers and military personnel, particularly those associated with the Bari Brahmana industrial area.
The daily service will link Katra with Sabarmati and key stations along the route, including Bathinda, Firozpur, Jalandhar and Pathankot. The extension is expected to facilitate pilgrim travel and passenger movement while supporting commercial activity and employment in the region.
Under the announced schedule, train number 19223 will leave Sabarmati at 10:25 am and reach Jammu Tawi at 3:35 pm on the second day before arriving at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 6:55 pm.
On the return journey, train number 19224 will depart from Katra at 4:50 am and reach Jammu Tawi at 7:40 am.
