Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu on Tuesday flagged off the Amritsar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express on its new route via Gurdaspur and Batala. The occasion also highlighted the ongoing redevelopment of Beas junction railway station under the ambitious Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Addressing the gathering, Ravneet Singh said the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express on the revised route marks another milestone in the modernisation of Indian Railways and will significantly improve connectivity between the holy city of Amritsar and the revered shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi at Katra.
According to Ravneet Singh, the new routing of the Vande Bharat Express through Gurdaspur and Batala will reduce the travel distance by nearly 84 km and cut journey time by around 40 minutes. The train will cover approximately 283 km in about five hours, providing faster, safer and more comfortable travel for pilgrims, tourists and regular passengers.
He said the train is equipped with modern AC Chair Car and Executive Chair Car coaches offering world-class amenities. The service is expected to strengthen the religious tourism circuit connecting Harmandir Sahib, Durgiana Temple, Sri Ram Tirath and the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, while also boosting tourism, trade and economic activity across the region.
Beas railway station to be redeveloped at Rs 62 crore
On the occasion, Ravneet Singh Bittu also announced that the Beas junction railway station is being redeveloped at an estimated cost of Rs 62 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme to meet future passenger demand and provide world-class facilities.
He said Beas station currently handles around 106 trains daily, including 98 halting trains and eight originating or terminating services. The station records an average daily passenger footfall of about 6,166, which is projected to increase to nearly 19,500 passengers per day in the coming years.
As part of the redevelopment plan, a new station building will be constructed on the GT Road side while preserving the heritage façade and architectural character of the existing structure. A new platform will also be added, increasing the total number of platforms from two to three and improving operational efficiency.
To enhance passenger convenience and accessibility, a six-metre-wide foot overbridge (FOB) will be constructed at the Amritsar end, while the existing FOB will be extended towards the second entry side. The project also includes comprehensive redevelopment of circulating areas, approach roads, parking facilities and passenger pick-up and drop-off zones on both the dera road and GT Road sides.
Dedicated parking facilities for cars, buses and two-wheelers will be developed, with special arrangements planned to accommodate the increased rush during mela periods.
