Archive · 24 Jul 2026
Heavy Rains Shut Highway, 1,500 Tourists Evacuated by Special Trains
Heavy rains caused the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway to close, leaving 1,500 tourists stranded.
The Indian Railways stepped in and ran special trains to help these tourists get to safety.
One train left Sangaldan at 1:45 pm, stopped at Banihal and Anantnag, and arrived in Srinagar at 4:40 pm.
On the way back, the same train left Srinagar at 5 pm, stopped at Banihal, and reached Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 8:15 pm.
Another train, number 74620, was also extended to handle the extra passengers.
The railways urged travelers to check the train status before starting their journey.
This shows how important the railways can be when roads are not safe due to bad weather.
Heavy rains and damaged roads closed the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, stranding 1,500 tourists.
The Indian Railways operated special trains to evacuate the stranded tourists.
A special train departed from Sangaldan at 1:45 pm, making stops at Banihal and Anantnag, and arrived in Srinagar at 4:40 pm.
The same train returned from Srinagar at 5 pm, stopping at Banihal, and reached Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 8:15 pm.
Train number 74620 was extended from Sangaldan to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to accommodate the extra rush.
- Who
- Indian Railways, Jammu Division of the Northern Railway
- What
- Evacuation of 1,500 stranded tourists via special trains
- When
- July 23 and July 24
- Where
- Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, Sangaldan, Banihal, Anantnag, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra
- Why
- Heavy rains and damaged roads closed the highway, necessitating the evacuation of tourists.
Tourist Safety
Infrastructure Reliability
Priority of Tourist Safety
Tourist Safety
The Indian Railways prioritized the safety and convenience of tourists by operating special trains to evacuate them due to the highway closure.
Infrastructure Reliability
The frequent disruptions due to weather highlight the need for more reliable infrastructure to prevent such situations.
- Number of Tourists Evacuated
- 1,500
- Reason for Evacuation
- Heavy rains and damaged roads
- Special Train Departure Time
- 1:45 pm from Sangaldan
- Special Train Arrival Time
- 4:40 pm in Srinagar
- Return Journey Departure Time
- 5 pm from Srinagar
- Return Journey Arrival Time
- 8:15 pm in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra
- Train Number Extended
- 74620
- Previous Special Train Date
- July 23