Farmers Movement Archive

‘Navratri special’: Vande Bharat train likely to shuttle between Katra and Delhi

Ahead of the nine-day-long Navratri festival, the BJP government plans to run Vande Bharat express trains to Katra town in Jammu and Kashmir from Delhi for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims. The plan, however, is likely to materialise after things settle down in neighbouring Punjab where farmers have blocked rail tracks over controversial farm laws recently passed by the Parliament. This year, the Navratri festival will begin from October 17. Vande Bharat train service was suspended in March this year after the pilgrimage was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “To begin with, Vande Bharat Express trains will be run but we are waiting for Punjab protests to settle down,” union minister Dr Jitendra Singh told HT. On Thursday, he said that the Vande Bharat express train from Delhi to Katra, a town near the Mata Vaishno Devi temple, will resume soon. “Discussed with Railway Minister Sh @PiyushGoyal. #VandeBharatExpress train from Delhi to #KatraVaishnoDevi to resume soon. This should be a reassuring piece of information for pilgrims from across the country planning a visit to Holy shrine during #Navratri festival,” Dr Singh had tweeted on Thursday. Also read: Ram temple construction - Carved stones being moved from Nyas workshop to JanmabhoomiRailways have plans to run two trains to Katra for the ensuing Navratri festival when the cave shrine attracts maximum pilgrims from India and abroad. “Though there is no request from us to run special trains for the ensuing Navratri festival, we have come to know that Vande Bharat trains are likely to be run following intervention by union minister Dr Jitendra Singh,” said officials of the shrine board. They informed that the board has started making arrangements for the Navratri festival. “However, this time around there will be no extravaganza. Only Durga Saptshati Paath shall be held at the main bus stand at Katra purely as per SoPs for the Covid-19 pandemic,” they informed. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, has decided to increase the cap on the number of pilgrims to 7,000 from 5,000 per day. “From October 15, the shrine board has decided to allow 7,000 pilgrims per day and there is no rider on how many outsiders should be present among the number of pilgrims,” they added. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic the, sanctum sanctorum will be decked up with exotic flowers. “The Bhawan (sanctum sanctorum) will be decorated with flowers from abroad like we do every Navratri festival. The mobilisation has started on Friday,” said officials. They informed that flowers from Britain, Switzerland, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Dubai will be brought and floral decorators will get down to the task of tastefully decorating the sanctum sanctorum. These flowers include gladiolus, carnations, lilies and anthurium orchids. They remain fresh for almost ten days.

Hindustan Times

09-10-2020

India