Hemkunt Express train running from Rishikesh to Vaishno Devi, Katra, is set to ply from December 30 after a gap of nine months due to the Covid pandemic. The train will operate on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana route instead of Rajpura-Khanna-Sirhind railway station in both directions. Railways has also given permission to four other trains, including Hemkunt Express, to go to Vaishno Devi, Katra.
Hari Mohan, Senior Divisional Commercial Officer, Ambala Division, said that the Railways has issued orders regarding the change of numbers, timetables and route operations for the operation of Hemkunt Express. “Passengers from Uttarakhand, UP, Haryana and Punjab visiting Vaishno Devi will be greatly benefited by this train,” he said.
“Train number 14609/14610 Rishikesh-Katra-Rishikesh Express running under Ambala Division will run on 04609/04610 special number basis. Train number 04609 will depart from Rishikesh on December 30 and train number 04610 from Vaishno Devi, Katra, on December 31. The Hemkunt Express runs from Rishikesh via Mahan Vaishno Darbar Katra railway station after stopping at other major railway stations including Saharanpur, Ambala, Ludhiana, Pathankot.”
Before the lockdown, the train used to start from Rishikesh station at 4.25pm and reached Ambala at 9.10 pm and Katra station at 8:35am. Now, it will start from Rishikesh at 5.20pm and reach Ambala at 9.13pm and Katra at seven in the morning.
While returning, the train will depart from Vaishno Devi at 4.30pm and reach Ambala at 3.10am and Rishikesh at 8.35am. As the train will operate on the Chandigarh route, devotees from Chandigarh, Panchkula, Kalka and surrounding areas can get easy access to it.
Train number 04672 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra will operate from December 30 on every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Similarly, train number 04671 from Bandra Terminus will run every Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Gandhidham: train number 04676 Shrimata Vaishno Devi Katra will run weekly only on Thursday from December 31. Similarly, while returning, train number 04675 will run from Gandhidham railway station every Saturday from January 1.
Vaishno Devi-Howrah: Train number 04678 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi will run from Katra every Monday on January 4 and in return train number 04677 from Howrah every Tuesday. Vaishno Devi-Jamnagar: Train number 04680 will run every Sunday from January 3 and train number 04679 Jamnagar every Wednesday from January 6, 2021.
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