Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station (station code: SVDK) is a railway station on the Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It mainly serves for the town of Katra where the major hindu divine temple Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is situated which is visited by millions of travellers per month with the help of this station and its frequent special trains connectivity from all over India. The station belongs to the newly created Jammu division of Northern Railway zone in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra
Major Express train and Passenger train station
Main entry gates into SMVD Katra Railway Station
General information
Location	Katra, Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir India
Coordinates	32°58′56″N 74°56′07″E
Elevation	813.707 m (2,670 ft)
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	Northern Railways
Line(s)	Jammu–Baramulla line
Platforms	5
Construction
Parking	Available
Accessible	[citation needed]
Other information
Status	Active
Station code	SVDK
Zone(s)	Northern Railway zone
Division(s)	Jammu
History
Opened	July 4, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-07-04)
Electrified	25 kV AC, 50 Hz OHLE
Services
Preceding station Indian Railways Following station Chak Rakhwal towards Jammu Tawi Northern Railway zone Jammu-Baramulla line Reasi towards Baramulla
Route map Legend km 324 Baramulla Uri(in progress)   Kupwara Line (in progress)   Kupwara Bandipora Line (proposed) 316 Sopore 309 Hamre 301 Pattan 293 Mazhom 287 Nadigam Halt 279 Budgam 267 Srinagar 261 Pampore Jhelum Bridge 255 Kakapora 252 Ratnipora Halt 245 Awantipora 238 Panzgom Shopian Line (in progress)   231 Bijbehara to Pahalgam (in progress) 225 Anantnag 217 Sadura 206 Qazigund 202 Hillar Shahabad Halt Banihal-Qazigund Railway Tunnel (11.215 km) 189 Banihal Tunnels T53-T55 Tunnel T52 (8.61 km) 175 Khari Tunnel T51 Tunnel T50 (12.775 km) 160 Sumber Tunnel T49 (10.178 km) Tunnels T45-T48 141 Sangaldan Tunnel T44 (11.13 km) Tunnel T43 (6.292 km) 123 Sawalkote Tunnel T42 (9.316 km) 114 Dugga Tunnels T38-T41 Tunnel T37 (3.493 km) Chenab Rail Bridge 102 Bakkal Tunnel T36 (5.941 km) 95 Reasi Tunnel T35 (3.007 km) Anji Khad Bridge Tunnel T34 (5.098 km) Tunnel T33 (3.209 km) Tunnels T31-T32 78 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Tunnel T30 Jhajjar Khad Bridge Tunnels T25-T29 69 Chak Rakhwal Tunnel T24 Tunnel T23 (3.12 km) Tunnels T21-T22 Bhadarwah Line (planned) 53 Udhampur 43 Ram Nagar Tunnels T14-T20 Tawi Bridge 32 Manwal billawar Line (planned) Tunnels T10-T13 22 Sangar Tunnels T4-T9 11 Bajalta Tunnels T1-T3 Poonch line (planned) 0 Jammu Tawi Jalandhar–Jammu line km This diagram: view talk edit
Location Katra Location within India Show map of India Katra Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) Show map of Jammu and Kashmir

History

In 1898, Maharaja Prathap Singh first explored to connect Jammu with Srinagar. But due to non-co ordination and other reasons, it stopped. ^{[citation needed]}

In April 2005, the Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link was completed up to Udhampur railway station from Jammu side and up to Banihal railway station from Srinagar side. Pirpanjal railway tunnel was completed and testing was being conducted in 2012. The rail link was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 July 2014 at 10:00 A.M. This means that Katra is currently the northern terminus of the southern section of the Jammu–Baramulla line as well as the northernmost place accessible on the contiguous network of Indian Railways^[1][2][3][4]

A 1 megawatt solar power plant was commissioned at the station in March 2015.^[5]

Passenger amenities and facilities

The ground floor of Katra railway station has escalators, lifts, current reservation, second class booking, train enquiry section, pilgrim guide, tourist assistance, VIP lounge, a fully air-conditioned hotel with a shopping lounge, multi-cuisine restaurant, cloak room, waiting hall, a book stall, tea stall, toilet blocks, and catering area. The first floor accommodates eight retiring rooms and a cafeteria.^[6] A huge parking place has also been constructed to accommodate cars and passenger buses.

Being a modern railway station. Katra Railway station is equipped with modern facilities.

See also

• Trains portal

• Banihal railway station
• Jammu–Baramulla line
• Northern Railways
• List of railway stations in Jammu and Kashmir