Centre’s Silence Over Resumption of Normal Train Connectivity Deepens J&K’s Tourism Crisis

New Delhi: Nearly two months after floods and landslides crippled Jammu and Kashmir’s railway network, the Union government is yet to restore full train connectivity, reports say. With 28 trains still suspended indefinitely and others running only on truncated routes, people intending to travel are severely affected. For locals, pilgrims, and tourists alike, the absence of trains is more than an inconvenience, it is a reminder of New Delhi's failure to prioritise mobility in a region already reeling from political instability and economic distress.

Cancellations

In August, torrential rains washed away rail tracks, triggered landslides, and severely damaged bridges in the Jammu region. While railway officials promised swift restoration, most services remain suspended even as October’s festive and tourism season peaks. Of the 50 disrupted trains, only 22 are scheduled to resume between October 15 and 21. For the rest, including key routes such as the Amritsar–Katra Express and the New Delhi–Katra Express, there is still no timeline.

The impact is immediate and harsh. Pilgrims to Vaishno Devi, who typically rely on trains to reach Katra, have been left to grapple with expensive road alternatives. Locals dependent on trains for travel to Delhi, Punjab, and Maharashtra are left without options. Patients in need of specialised medical treatment outside the state are among the worst affected.

“Patients are not able to travel for medical purposes. So many locals are waiting for the train routes to start operating,” Kapil Sudan, a Jammu-based travel agent told The Wire. “Every day I get calls from people asking when the train services will resume, but there are no clear answers. We are helpless.”

Governance

Many residents say that if this were a connectivity crisis in Delhi, Mumbai, or Ahmedabad, the railways would have worked around the clock to restore services within weeks.

Speaking to The Wire, Bhavna Munjal, a tourist waiting for train services to resume in Katra, commented: “If this were a connectivity crisis in Delhi, Mumbai, or Ahmedabad, the railways would have worked around the clock to restore services within weeks.”
She added: “In Jammu, however, residents are being asked to wait indefinitely.”

Officials of the Northern Railways insist that restoration is “ongoing” and that services will be resumed in phases. But the absence of a clear roadmap fuels suspicion that J&K’s connectivity is not a priority. “Following the disaster, we have worked on a war footing,” said Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal, speaking to The Tribune. Yet with pilgrims, patients, and entire communities stranded for months, the claim rings hollow.

Tourism

The absence of trains is not just a matter of mobility, it is directly tied to the grave problems plaguing J&K’s tourism industry. In a state where livelihoods are built on pilgrim circuits and seasonal visitors, every cancelled train means fewer arrivals, fewer hotel bookings, and mounting losses.

According to Airports Authority of India data, passenger traffic at Srinagar, Jammu, and Leh airports between April and August fell by double digits compared to last year; with Srinagar recording a 33.1% drop, Jammu 21.7%, and Leh 15.3%. The sharp decline came in the aftermath of the April Pahalgam terror attack, which dented confidence, but the continued disruption of train services has only deepened the slump.

For Vaishno Devi, too, the blow is severe. “This is the time of festivals, when we usually host thousands of pilgrims daily,” said a hotel owner in Katra. “But with trains suspended, people are simply not coming. The shops are empty, the taxis are parked, and the hotels are half vacant.”

Livelihoods

The cascading effect on livelihoods is unmistakable. In J&K, tourism sustains not only hoteliers and travel agents but also porters, ponywalas, artisans, and shopkeepers. With visitor inflows sharply down, incomes have collapsed.

In a report by the Business Standard, Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, described the situation matter-of-factly: “Tourism is the backbone of the J&K economy, and the absence of trains has choked the flow of visitors. This is a direct hit to families that depend on this sector.”

Even Ladakh, which had grown into a summer hub for adventure tourism, saw passenger arrivals dip by 20% in August compared to last year. The disruption of Jammu’s train network means fewer tourists even attempt the onward journey to Leh, further compounding losses in a region with a very short tourism season.

Promises

The Union government had earlier promised that infrastructure development would integrate J&K more closely with the rest of India. Flagship projects like the Chenab bridge and the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link were showcased as symbols of progress. But the reality on the ground is stark: in 2025, residents are still at the mercy of nature and neglect, waiting for basic services to be restored.

Speaking to the Business Standard, Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality, said the government must step in with stronger support. “The Pahalgam incident hurt tourism very badly, and now the train suspensions are worsening the situation. Without enhanced security, financial relief, and above all reliable transport, we cannot recover.” 

For people in Jammu and Kashmir, the train suspensions are not an abstract statistic but a daily ordeal. Families cannot travel, businesses cannot recover, patients cannot access treatment, and pilgrims cannot reach shrines, or back home. The silence from the government only compounds the frustration.

As travel agent Kapil Sudan put it, “We have been waiting for months now. The Centre has money for new trains elsewhere in the country, but here we have none. It feels like we have been abandoned.”

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