Katra, January 27, 2025 – A new train service from Delhi to Srinagar is expected to bring more visitors to the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Anshul Garg, the head of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, said that a new help center has been set up at the Katra railway station. This center will make it easier for pilgrims to register for their visit right at the station.
Garg spoke at a Republic Day event in Katra, explaining that the new train service will make Katra, the starting point for pilgrims, an important stop for those traveling to the shrine.
A special train called the Vande Bharat Express recently completed its first test run on the new Katra-Srinagar train line, which connects Kashmir to the rest of India.
To prepare for more visitors, the shrine board is working to improve facilities for pilgrims. Over the past three years, more than 9 million people have visited the shrine each year. Garg mentioned plans to build a new waiting area called the Darshani Deodi Queue Complex, which will hold 1,500 people in any weather.
Other projects include a new three-story building called Shubhra Bhawan, better walking paths, and a new light and sound show to make the visit more enjoyable.
Garg also talked about efforts to make the Banganga river area nicer and more eco-friendly. A new exit path is being built to help reduce crowding near the Bhawan area, along with a new Vaishnavi Bhawan to improve the experience for visitors.
In the upcoming Chaitra Navratras, new facilities will be added, such as battery car parking, a waiting area in Adhkuwari, and security cameras along the paths.
Garg also announced that people living in Katra and the nearby villages will get special access to the shrine by showing their Aadhaar cards as proof of where they live.
These improvements aim to make it easier and better for everyone visiting Mata Vaishno Devi.
