Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 7 (ANI): Shikha Rastogi, a passenger aboard the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, expressed her joy and gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, recalling her past interactions with the Prime Minister and praising the transformative infrastructure developments in India.

Speaking to ANI on the train, Rastogi said, 'I have been blessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ma'am. I have been allotted a shop in the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. I am happy to be able to travel in this train and I have come to Kashmir especially to travel in this train.'

She added that witnessing the inauguration ceremony live was an emotional moment for her. 'I witnessed the inaugural ceremony live yesterday, and it felt surreal. PM Modi has done so much work for the country and even this train is for the country's people. Travel to and from Kashmir has become easy. The experience of travelling on the world's highest bridge was amazing,' she told ANI.

Recalling her past meetings with the Prime Minister, Rastogi said, 'I have met PM Modi 2-3 times. This picture is from the time when the Kashi Vishwanath corridor was being inaugurated. He touched my feet and said that the government is with me and motivated me to aim higher.'

Visuals from inside Kashmir's first Vande Bharat Express showed scenic views as the train crossed the Anji Khad Bridge, which Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated on Thursday. The train's launch marked a major milestone in improving connectivity to the Union Territory, offering passengers faster and more comfortable travel between Katra and Srinagar.

Earlier on Saturday, the inaugural ride of the Vande Bharat Express between Srinagar and Katra drew praise from passengers, many of whom described the new service as offering 'unmatched convenience,' making travel 'much easier, possible, and comfortable,' while hailing it as a 'great move by the government' to connect Kashmir with the rest of India.

Tourists and locals hailed the launch as a historic moment, saying it would cut down travel time, boost tourism, and make Kashmir more accessible.

Speaking to ANI, Ashok Kumar Khajanchi, a tourist from Bikaner in Rajasthan, shared his experience, 'We came from Bikaner to Mumbai and then to Srinagar. We've visited places like Gulmarg and Sonamarg. Many had tried to scare us into cancelling our trip, but we were determined. When we heard Vande Bharat was running, we cancelled our taxi to Jammu Tawi, even though we lost Rs 6,000. We booked Vande Bharat tickets at 7 PM and reached Srinagar by 8 PM. With my health problems, the train made travel much easier.'

Khajanchi, who is recovering from a foot fracture, added, 'The convenience offered by Vande Bharat is unmatched. I had two fractures, so we had to cancel our earlier car and train bookings. But this train made the journey possible and comfortable.'

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Katra Railway Station, officially connecting the Jammu division with Kashmir via rail. This marks a major milestone in strengthening railway infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.

During his visit, PM Modi also inaugurated the world's highest railway arch bridge over Chenab River. Speaking on the occasion, he said the development projects will further boost Jammu and Kashmir's growth journey.

The train passes through two engineering marvels: the Anji Khad Bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, and the Chenab Bridge, the highest railway bridge in the world. (ANI)