Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday flagged off the second semi-high speed indigenous Vande Bharat Express train from Delhi to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.

Inaugurating the Vande Bharat Express, Shah said it was a “big gift” for Jammu and Kashmir’s development.

Shah also said that Article 370 was the “biggest roadblock” in the state’s development and within 10 years, it will be one of the most developed regions of the country.

“Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express is a big gift for Jammu and Kashmir’s development and for promoting religious tourism,” said Shah.

Amit Shah was also accompanied by Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Ministers Dr Jitendra Singh and Dr Harsh Vardhan.

Shah said the hurdles in the development of Kashmir had been erased with the abrogation of Article 370 that gave the erstwhile state a special status. “With the scrapping of Article 370, Kashmir has become a part of India like the other states,” he said.

“I have firm belief that we will gain success in complete eradication of terrorism and terrorist ideology from Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. Our Kashmir would be mentioned in the list of most developed Indian states within 10 years,” he said.

The Minister said the Vande Bharat train, which has been manufactured at a Chennai-based factory, was a gift to the countrymen from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Vande Bharat Express will run between Delhi and Katra facilitating travel up to the Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi. The booking for the train will start on October 5.

Train number 22439 New Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express will depart from the New Delhi Railway Station at 6 am to reach Katra at 2 pm. En route, the train will halt at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi for two minutes each.

On the return journey the same day, train number 22440 Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express will leave from the Katra Railway Station at 3 pm to reach the New Delhi Railway Station at 11 pm.

Train 18 will ply on all days of the week except for Tuesday.

“Railways will connect the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari before 15th August 2022,” said Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

Shah also said that “Railways should document its relationship with Mahatma Gandhi as it forms a significant episode in the freedom struggle.”.

This is the second Vande Bharat Express, the first runs between Delhi and Varanasi.