The inaugural ride of the Vande Bharat Express between Srinagar and Katra has drawn praise from passengers, many of whom described the new service as offering "unmatched convenience," making travel "much easier", "possible and comfortable," while hailing it as a "great move by the government" to connect Kashmir with the rest of India.
Tourists and locals alike hailed the launch as a historic moment, saying it would not only cut down travel time but also boost tourism and make Kashmir more accessible.
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Speaking to ANI, Ashok Kumar Khajanchi, a tourist from Bikaner in Rajasthan, shared his experience, "We came from Bikaner to Mumbai and then to Srinagar. We've visited places like Belgaum, Gulmarg, and Sonamarg. Many had tried to scare us into cancelling our trip, but we were determined. When we heard Vande Bharat was running, we cancelled our taxi to Jammu Tawi, even though we lost Rs 6,000. We booked Vande Bharat tickets at 7 PM and reached Srinagar by 8 PM. Due to my health problems, the train made travel much easier."
Khajanchi, who is recovering from a foot fracture, added, "The convenience offered by Vande Bharat is unmatched. I had two fractures, so we had to cancel our earlier car and train bookings. But this train made the journey possible and comfortable."
