Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 2: The Special Protection Group (SPG) today took over security of Katra railway station ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir on July 4 to link Katra town, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine while authorities decided to suspend helicopter service for the pilgrims from Katra to Sanji Chat and back on Friday till the VVIP visit was over.
Railways authorities have meanwhile decided to link Modi’s Parliamentary constituency, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat, a State Modi headed as the Chief Minister for three consecutive terms before becoming Prime Minister of the country, with Katra on priority basis.
Apart from Varanasi and Ahmedabad, Railways have also decided to link Mumbai, Chandigarh and New Delhi with Katra in the next few days.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Beghampura Express, which runs between Jammu to Varanasi is being extended to Katra on priority basis to link Modi’s Parliamentary constituency (Varanasi) with holy town of Katra. Modi had won Varanasi and Vadodara (Gujarat) Lok Sabha seats with huge margin in recent Lok Sabha elections but retained Varanasi.
Sources said Jammu-Ahmedabad Express is also on the priority of the Railways for extension up to Katra town. Ahmedabad is capital of Gujarat, which Modi had served as the Chief Minister for three successive terms before becoming the Prime Minister of the country.
Apart from this, Mumbai, the commercial capital of India and the hub of Bollywood movies, is also being linked to Katra with the extension of Jammu Superfast. The Railways has already decided to start two new trains between Katra-Chandigarh and Katra-Delhi Rohilla Sarai, linking Chandigarh and New Delhi with the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Katra-Chandigarh train would take off from Kalika.
Katra-Kalika and Katra-Delhi Rohilla Sarai trains stood approved in the Railway budget. As there was more demand of people to reach Katra from New Delhi, Railways have decided to extend Jammu Mail and Uttar Samparak Kranti, which run between Udhampur to New Delhi to Katra.
Two DMU trains from Pathankot and Jammu, which run up to Udhampur, would be extended to Katra immediately after opening of the track.
In fact, Modi accompanied by Railways Minister Sadanand Gowda, Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha would flag off DMU from Katra to Udhampur.
Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Railways Board Chairman and top officials of the Railways would be present at flagging of the train at 9.50 am at Katra railway station on July 4.
Sources said the DMUs would start plying between Katra-Jammu and Katra-Pathankot the same day while remaining trains would start in the next few days.
Meanwhile, seven teams of SPG headed by IG SPG Piyush Pandey today took control of security at Katra railway station ahead of flagging off the train by the Prime Minister in his first ever visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking over as the PM.
DIG Udhampur-Reasi range Gareeb Dass would coordinate in security arrangements for the VVIP visit with the SPG.
Sources said SPG and police have decided to suspend helicopter service from Katra to Sanji Chat and back on the morning of July 4 till the VVIPs depart from Katra town. However, the yatra would continue smoothly from base camp of Katra, they added.
Modi would flag off the train at about 9.50 am and address the selected gathering for about 10 minutes before returning to Jammu and taking off for Srinagar for high level security review and inauguration of Uri-II hydro electric power project. He would return to New Delhi from Srinagar the same day.
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