Northern Railway cancels 68 trains in J&K after heavy rains, 24 to resume

Heavy rains and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir have forced Northern Railway to cancel 68 trains till September 30, while 24 services resume. Shuttle trains ferry stranded passengers, and Vande Bharat Express is set to restart on September 7.

Jammu: The Northern Railway has announced the cancellation of 68 incoming and outgoing trains from Jammu and Katra stations till September 30, while 24 trains are scheduled to resume, officials said.

Rail traffic has remained suspended in the Jammu railway division for the past eight days due to misalignment and breaches at multiple locations in the Pathankot-Jammu section following the recent heavy rains and flash floods.

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Scores of people, especially pilgrims, were stranded as heavy rains lashed the Jammu region August 26 (Tuesday) onwards, severely disrupting rail and road traffic. A landslide near the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra claimed 34 lives. The Jammu region recorded its heaviest rainfall since 1910, at 380 mm by Wednesday.

“To facilitate the movement of stranded passengers, the following train services are being run: Jammu Tawi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (2 shuttle services), Jammu Tawi-Kolkata, and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi,” an official said.

Four trains have been inducted in the Jammu-Katra section for shuttle service that will operate from September 1 to 15, the official said.

The Railways restored the operation of Sampark Kranti and Sealdah Express trains, Kantri Express, Vande Bharat, Trivandrum Express and shuttle services. “Shuttle services have been started with the induction of two pairs of trains to facilitate the movement of locals and stranded passengers between Jammu and Katra have started,” the official said, adding that Jammu-Kolkata and Vaishno Devi-New Delhi trains are running.

The Vande Bharat train will resume operation from September 7. A total of 5,784 stranded passengers have been ferried in seven trains from Jammu for their onward journey.