(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi/Katra, Aug 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Amritsar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Train service virtually on Sunday.

Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (PMO), said that this is a historical moment for Jammu and Kashmir, and the credit for this goes to PM Modi.

MoS Singh said this would make the journey easy for devotees coming from different parts of the country to pay obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra in Jammu.

J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for dedicating the Vande Bharat Train service between Amritsar to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Station to the nation.

“The new Vande Bharat Train will ensure ease of travel for devotees of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and spur the growth momentum of the local economy,” the L-G said.

He observed that the transport infrastructure of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in railways, has witnessed unprecedented growth under the leadership of the Prime Minister. He said the first freight train, which reached Anantnag from Punjab on Saturday, has marked a significant milestone in the transport infrastructure and trade of the Kashmir valley.

The Lieutenant Governor posted on X: "Grateful to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for flagging off Vande Bharat Train between Amritsar to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Station. J&K's transport infrastructure, particularly in railways, has witnessed unprecedented growth under the leadership of Hon'ble PM. New Vande Bharat Train will ensure ease of travel for devotees of Mata Vaishno Devi and spur the growth momentum of the local economy. Yesterday, first freight train had reached Anantnag from Punjab, marking a significant milestone in Kashmir Valley's transport infra and trade".

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - Amritsar Vande Bharat Express Train will depart from Katra at 6.40 a.m. to reach Amritsar at 12.20 p.m. the same day. In return direction, the Amritsar- Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express Train will depart from Amritsar at 4.25 p.m. to reach Katra at 10 p.m.

The Train will run six days a week except Tuesday.

The Vande Bharat train service currently operates from Katra to Baramulla, and before the end of the year, it will operate from Jammu railway station, making the journey easier and hassle-free in future.

The arrival of the freight train at Anantnag on Saturday with cement for infrastructure development will boost the local economy as it will make the to-and-fro carriage of goods cheaper, easier, and will operate 24/7.

Presently, merchandise to and from the Valley is transported by trucks through the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. This highway is unpredictable, especially during the rainy season, as it gets blocked by shooting stones, mudslides and landslides, stranding hundreds of vehicles carrying goods for days.

This stranding of trade goods, especially the perishable items like fruits, vegetables, poultry, mutton, etc., causes heavy losses to traders.

This nightmare of the Kashmiri traders would end with the regular operation of goods trains between the rest of the country and the Valley.

The largest industry of Kashmir is the horticulture, which thrives chiefly on the Valley's apple production. This sector of the local economy would get the maximum benefit by the operationalisation of goods trains to the Valley.

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