NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a train that will give easier access to one of India‘s most popular pilgrimages. Modi landed in Jammu and flew by chopper to Katra, where he flagged off a new train from Katra to Delhi via Udhampur, providing a direct link to the base town for the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also with him. An estimated 50 lakh people visit the shrine every year and a Railways official said they expected “good demand” on the new line. The train connectivity to Katra is part of the ambitious Rs. 1,150-crore Kashmir rail link project which links the region with the rest of the country.