LG flags off parcel train from Srinagar
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR Sept 15: In a significant initiative, which marks a major step forward in improving logistics for fruit growers, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today flagged off the first daily parcel train service from Nowgam Railway Station.
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The move aimed at supporting Kashmir’s horticulture sector is expected to ease transportation hurdles caused by the frequent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
Speaking to reporters at the launch, the LG said, “The start of a daily time-table train carrying horticulture produce to the National Capital is a major relief for fruit growers. I thank the Indian Railways for this timely initiative.”
Sinha added that Kashmir’s economy, which is heavily reliant on horticulture, has suffered significant losses in recent years due to highway disruptions caused by landslides and adverse weather.
“This train service is a leap towards minimizing those losses and ensuring perishable goods like apples and walnuts reach markets in time,” he said.
The LG expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ushering a new era of trade and business for apple growers and traders of the Valley.
“It will significantly reduce transit time and increase income opportunities for thousands of farmers and boost the agricultural economy of the region,” he said.
Sinha also congratulated the Indian Railways for dedicated freight train service between Budgam to New Delhi.
“The new freight train service is a big step for the apple growers of the Union Territory to transport their produce to different parts of the country. This will provide a faster and more economical transportation mode, strengthen market linkages and bring improvement in the lives and livelihoods of farmers,” he said.
He said the disruption of movement at National Highways, due to topography and heavy rains, causes losses to fruit growers. “The freight train service starting from today will transport apples and other perishable goods every day,” he said.
The new parcel service, a Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo initiative by Indian Railways, will run between Budgam and Adarsh Nagar, New Delhi, with an important stop at Bari Brahmana in Jammu. The first train comprised eight parcel coaches, each with a capacity of 23 tons, and carried fruit consignments worth Rs 2.5 crore, reaching Delhi in under 24 hours.
Railway officials said that the train will initially focus on transporting apples and walnuts two of Kashmir’s primary horticulture products. A similar 15-coach train is also expected to operate soon from Anantnag, further strengthening the Valley’s cold chain and supply network.
“This is not just a proud moment for Kashmir but for the entire Union Territory and the Indian Railways,” officials noted, highlighting the potential of this service to transform how Kashmiri produce reaches national markets.
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