Srinagar, Sep 11 (KNO): In a move aimed at easing the crisis faced by the horticulture sector in Kashmir, the Indian Railways has started a daily parcel train service from Budgam to Delhi. The initiative comes at a time when frequent closures of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway have severely disrupted fruit transportation, leaving truckloads of produce stranded and growers incurring heavy losses.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), president of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, welcomed the decision but cautioned that the current capacity falls far short of industry needs. “At present, two parcel trains will carry around 3,000 apple boxes daily, which is insufficient given the scale of produce waiting to be transported," he said.
"The government has assured us that from September 13, the service will be increased to eight parcels, equivalent to about 16 truckloads per day. While this is a positive beginning, it still cannot match the highway’s capacity,” he added.
Basheer said growers can now directly register through the railway department’s website, where they are required to pay half the fare at the time of booking. He said the cost has been fixed at around Rs 3 per kilogram, but fruit owners themselves will have to load and unload the boxes at the railway stations.
Calling it a “good beginning”, the Union leader said the facility must be expanded further, especially during the peak harvesting season. “We thank both the Union and UT governments, along with the Railways Department, for starting this service. However, the industry needs greater capacity and priority clearance of the truck-laden vehicles still stranded on the highway,” he said.
The Union reiterated that the valley’s fruit sector has already suffered losses of nearly Rs 700 crore this season, and the figure continues to rise with each passing day of disruption.
Growers have repeatedly urged the government to ensure smoother transport channels so that Kashmir’s apples, considered the backbone of the region’s economy, reach markets on time—(KNO)