Surpassing the endless rush of hired taxis, overcrowded chartered buses and private transport crawling on a zig-zag Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the ‘screeching’ wheels of one of the world’s largest rail networks are all set to add to the ‘cacophony of sounds’ in the bustling township of Katra, base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine nestled in Trikuta Hills, on July 4.
A devout disciple of Mata Vaishno Devi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to flag off the first train linking Katra base camp to the rest of the country. For many local businessmen, who were present at the foundation-stone laying ceremony of the historic railway line by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in April 1983, it is like a dream come true after a long wait of more than three decades.
“Here in Katra, we recognise the jugalbandi of musical beads wrapped around the necks of ponies/mules ferrying pilgrims to the cave shrine. Now the whistling sound of a train engine chugging will add to the the picturesque valley ferrying thousands of pilgrims everyday”, hotelier Avtar Krishan told The Pioneer. Modi had earlier kick started his ‘Bharat Vijay rally’ from Hiranagar in Jammu after paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine on March 26, 2014.
The 25km-long rail link crossing through exotic mountain ranges is being inaugurated after a nine-year-long wait.Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister, had inaugurated the rail link up to Udhampur on April 13, 2005.The link was declared fit for travel by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) after the GM Northern Railways submitted comprehensive report based on a survey on the 25km-long track. Earlier, certain deficiencies were pointed out by the CRS this February leading to the delay in opening the rail link.
Along the serpentine route, the train will cross 82-metre high Jhajjar Bridge — 10 meter more than the height of Qutab Minar — several rail tunnels with longest being 3.1 km-long and various other bridges.The direct connectivity of the Katra township with the rest of the country is all set to boost the pilgrim traffic to the base camp and redefine the pilgrimage in the coming months.Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board authorities have also decided to facilitate the yatra for the pilgrims reaching Katra via rail link.Separate registration counters have been set up by the shrine board to register the pilgrims and hand over photo identity yatra slips at the Railway station.
For past several years the Katra township is gearing up to welcome the arrival of the rail network but delays caused in completion of the tunnel work along the track prolonged the wait.The railway authorities have also made elaborate arrangements to cater to the burgeoning rush of pilgrims.The Katra railway station has been developed as per the modern standards with stateof-the-art facilities for all the categories of pilgrims. Escalators, lifts, fully-air conditioned shopping lounge, separate food courts, clock rooms have been provided to add to the leisure of pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the hospitality industry is all set to woo the pilgrims reaching here with renewed enthusiasm. A large number of hotels and restaurants and other utilities have come up in Katra township to attract the pilgrims and ensure better and comfortable stay. The State Government is also gearing up to provide all basic amenities to the pilgrims and aiming at boosting pilgrim traffic in the region.
The near by tourist points and local population — which help earn their livelihood by servicing pilgrims and local tourists — are upbeat. With the arrival of the train in Katra the local economy of the region is also likely to get a big boost, Amit Sharma, proprietor of an upcoming multi-storey hotel told The Pioneer.
The railway authorities have also invested hugely to ensure safety of the track and the pilgrims. Jawans and Government Railway police as well as Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been stationed at vulnerable locations all along the track in protected bunkers to maintain round-the-clock vigil.
