Extra Sleeper for Pilgrims

Northern Railway will add one extra sleeper coach to the Kolkata–Jammu Tawi Express from April 25 to July 2 as summer pilgrim traffic to Vaishno Devi rises. (theprint.in) The added coach is meant for Train No. 13151/13152, the Kolkata–Jammu Tawi–Kolkata Express, and Jammu Division said the move should improve berth confirmation for passengers stuck on waitlists. (theprint.in) Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the extra coach could help about 72 to 80 waitlisted passengers get confirmed berths each day and reduce onboard crowding during the vacation rush. He said passengers can track reservation status on the railway booking system or through helpline 139. (theprint.in) This route feeds one of India’s biggest pilgrimage circuits. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board says 69.79 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine in 2025, after 94.84 lakh in 2024 and 95.22 lakh in 2023. (maavaishnodevi.org) The shrine’s own data show the pilgrimage is heavily seasonal. In its 2023-24 administrative report, the board said June 2023 recorded the largest monthly footfall, and March through November formed the peak season. (maavaishnodevi.org) For many pilgrims, Jammu is the rail gateway and Katra is the base town for the climb to the shrine. The Shrine Board says pilgrims must register for the yatra and collect an RFID access card, with counters at Katra, Jammu airport and Vaishnavi Dham in Jammu. (maavaishnodevi.org) The board has already opened service quotas for June 2026, including accommodation and other bookings, a sign that operators are preparing for another high-traffic summer window. (maavaishnodevi.org) Indian Railways often handles these surges by attaching coaches instead of launching a full extra train, especially when demand is concentrated on a single corridor and for a limited period. On this route, the immediate effect is simple: a few dozen more sleeper berths each day for passengers headed north. (theprint.in)