Amit Shah Flags Off Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has given a great "Navratri gift" to Jammu and Kashmir by flagging off the new Vande Bharat Express train from New Delhi Railway Station to Vaishno Devi, Katra, and Jammu. It is considered as a big milestone in the development of the Jammu & Kashmir and for promoting religious tourism. Widely famous as Train 18, the Vande Bharat Express will start its commercial run on October onwards. The book of tickets is open on the website of IRCTC.

Important Points

• The Katra Vande Bharat Express will depart from the New Delhi railway station at 6 am to reach Katra at 2 pm. In route, it will halt at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi for two minutes each. On return, the same day, the train will leave from Katra railway at 3 pm to reach New Delhi at 11 pm.

• The maximum fare for travel between New Delhi to Vaishno Devi Katra will be Rs 3, 015 and minimum will be Rs 1,630.

• It will run all days of the week except Tuesday.

• This train is a semi-high speed train and India's second such train. The first Vande Bharat Express runs on the Varanasi route; it was started in February this year.

• It provides plush interiors and holds many features like wi-fi bio vacuum toilets, GPS-based infotainment systems, CCTV surveillance, etc.

• The train also has windows with a special feature to protect against stone-pelting and a cattle guard in the front side to prevent the train from different damage.