Jammu, Aug 28: In a major relief measure for passengers stranded due to widespread disruption of rail services in the region, Northern Railways on Thursday announced a special unreserved train from Jammu to New Delhi to facilitate the safe journey of hundreds of tourists and pilgrims. The train, scheduled to depart around 2 pm, will halt at key stations including Kathua and Pathankot Cantonment, officials confirmed.
This comes a day after heavy rains and flash floods wreaked havoc across the Jammu division, damaging tracks, bridges, and embankments, forcing the Railways to cancel 58 trains and short-terminate or short-originate 64 others on Wednesday. The Jammu–Pathankot stretch has been hit particularly hard, with soil erosion near the Chakki river area halting rail traffic yet again after a brief restoration.
“The special unreserved train is being operated to provide immediate relief to stranded tourists and pilgrims. Passengers can board from Jammu, Kathua, and other stops en route,” said the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Railways, Jammu.
Large numbers of passengers—many of them Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims returning from Katra—have been left stranded at Jammu railway station and other halts over the past two days. Families with children and elderly persons are among those waiting anxiously for transport.
In addition to arranging the special service, the Railways has also launched humanitarian measures in coordination with NGOs and local civil society. Food packets and drinking water were distributed to passengers stuck at Manwal, Sangar, and Gaghwal stations with support from station staff, the Railway Protection Force, and the Government Railway Police.
Officials said that while efforts are underway to restore services at the earliest, safety remains the priority amid continuous rain and fragile conditions.