J&K CM Omar Abdullah, Farooq take ride on newly-launched Vande Bharat

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah along with National Conference chief and his father Farooq Abdullah on Thursday took a train ride from Srinagar to Katra in the Vande Bharat Express.

Abdullah boarded the train from the Nowgam Railway Station in the morning and reached Katra in the afternoon. He later headed towards Jammu in car.

This comes just nine days after his father Farooq Abdullah also travelled on the same train to Katra along with other NC leaders. The step is being seen as a way to promote tourism in Kashmir Valley that has been impacted since the Pahalgam attack in April in which 26 people were killed.

The Vande Bharat Express, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, began operations on June 7 and has quickly gained immense popularity among locals, pilgrims and tourists. The two semi-high-speed trains now connect the Kashmir Valley to Jammu’s Katra town via Banihal, operating six days a week, with Wednesday as the only non-operational day.

The train is already fully booked for coming days, reflecting the public enthusiasm for this long-awaited project. As the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway faces frequent disruptions due to landslides, the train is an all season alternative for the locals and tourists willing to travel to Kashmir.

J & K