Srinagar: With the train service all set to begin by the end of this month between Srinagar and Katra, trade bodies and people in Kashmir are demanding direct train connectivity between Kashmir and Jammu and onwards to Delhi.
The railway department has completed the long-awaited rail link between Jammu and Kashmir and held several trial runs in the last few weeks. Subsequently, the northern railways on December 31 issued timing schedules of the trains between Katra and Baramulla stations.
Officials of the Railways have told ETV Bharat that the Kashmir-bound trains will stop at Katra railway station and then board another train to travel towards Jammu and Delhi.
Citing security issues, the officials said the Katra station will be a point where passengers will have to do transhipment.
The railway authorities have designated Platform Number 1 at Katra Railway Station for Kashmir-bound passengers.
“When a train arrives (from Kashmir), all the passengers will have to disembark it and go outside the station. They will have to rescan their luggage at the departure lounge and then board the train stationed at Platform Number 1 for the onward journey. The same train will not proceed to further destinations, and passengers will have to wait for the next train to proceed further," railway officials told ETV Bharat.
This arrangement by railway authorities has irked the public, trade bodies, and political parties in Kashmir.
Trade Bodies
Kashmir's main trade body, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), while expressing its strong appreciation for the Delhi-Srinagar rail connectivity, demanded direct trains to Jammu from Srinagar and Delhi instead of transhipment at Katra.
Faiz Ahmad Bakshi, Secretary General of KCCI, said the chamber requests Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Railway Minister, to consider their request for the direct train service from Delhi to Srinagar.
“The Delhi-Srinagar railway line addresses a long-standing challenge faced by the region, particularly during winter months when the Srinagar-Jammu Highway's weather-related closures severely impact businesses and residents alike. This rail connectivity will be a game-changer for the region's economic stability and growth, providing year-round reliable transportation independent of weather conditions,” Bakshi said.
He said the new rail link will also help to regulate airfares, which currently exceed costs of some international travel destinations.
“This development promises to enhance business connectivity with the rest of India while improving accessibility for both tourists and residents,” he said.
He said the chamber has requested the government to consider devising an alternate mechanism for establishing direct connectivity to Delhi over the proposed de-boarding of passengers at Katra to optimise travel efficiency.
Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) chairman Abrar Bhat told ETV Bharat that the railway service will bring major relief from connectivity blockades between Srinagar and Jammu due to weather and construction issues of the National Highway.
"The train will promote smooth and all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Jammu, but the main halt station must be at Jammu and not Katra. The service should be seamless, and passengers should not be asked to disembark and board trains at Katra station," Bhat said.
The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union has demanded that the chief minister of J&K must raise the issue with railway authorities for direct train service between Kashmir, Delhi, and Jammu.
“The fruit growers of the Valley were hopeful of the operation of separate goods trains as well so that the fresh fruits and vegetables of Kashmir could also be quickly transported directly by train from the Valley to Delhi without any transhipment, but the announcement regarding the operation of the said train from Katra-Srinagar dashed all hopes of the fruit growers and dealers,” said Basheer Ahmad Basheer, Chairman, Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union.
“We were hopeful that the operation of the Vande Bharat Express Trains" will connect the Kashmir Valley directly with the rest of the parts of the country and will boost the horticulture sector. The operation of *Vanda Bharat Express Trains from Katra-Srinagar does not mean any suitable facility for transportation of their fresh produce unless and until there is direct rail connectivity from the Valley to Delhi, which exclusively will serve fruitful results for smooth and direct transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Valley to the rest parts of the country and vice versa,” he said.
Political Parties
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) General Secretary Mohammad Khurshid Alam criticised the measure, saying it undermines the much-touted promise of convenience for Kashmiris.
"For years, we were told that train services to Kashmir would benefit the common masses and ease travel. This latest directive proves that Kashmiris are far from experiencing travel convenience. The train services inaugurated amid great fanfare are turning out to be nothing more than a facade," Alam said.
Alam described the arrangement as an additional burden on travellers, particularly the elderly and those travelling for medical treatment.
"This decision subjects common people to unnecessary hardships. Security concerns should not be used as an excuse. Adequate checks can be conducted at the start of the journey. Forcing passengers to disembark midway and board another train in the name of security is both humiliating and impractical," Alam said.
Congress, the party supporting the National Conference-led government, said that trains must stop at the main destination of Jammu.
“Jammu is the capital city; we want its importance to be maintained. There should be no inconvenience to the passengers, whether they are from Kashmir or Jammu. The main destination should be Srinagar and Jammu,” Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma told ETV Bharat.
He said that for pilgrims of Shri Mata Vishu Devi Shrine (SMVD), trains stop at Katra station, but for other passengers bound for Jammu and Delhi, the main station must be at Jammu.
ETV Bharat had learnt from sources that the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, will take up the issue with the railway authorities for seamless connectivity.
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