Fruit growers in Kashmir, reeling under heavy losses due to the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, are finally set to receive relief. The Indian Railways has announced the launch of a special parcel train service from Budgam to Delhi to transport apples and other horticultural produce swiftly to national markets.
The Srinagar-Jammu highway, the Valley’s only all-weather road link with the rest of India, has remained closed for nearly two weeks due to flash floods and landslides. The disruption has hit the horticulture sector—the backbone of Kashmir’s economy—at the peak of the apple harvesting season. Growers and traders estimate that spoilage of stranded consignments has already caused losses of around Rs 400 crore.
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the government would introduce a daily time-tabled parcel train service connecting Kashmir with Delhi from September 13. “This service will ensure faster transportation, minimize post-harvest losses, and integrate Kashmir’s agricultural output more closely with national supply chains,” he said.
A senior railway official confirmed that two empty parcel trains reached Budgam station on Wednesday for the loading process. The first service will leave Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar station at 12:10 pm on September 13 and return from Budgam at 6:15 am on September 15.
According to officials, each parcel train will carry about 18 tonnes of apples and cover the Budgam-to-Delhi journey in roughly 23 hours—about 12 hours faster than road transport. The service will also include loading and unloading facilities at Bari Brahmana station in Jammu to boost business operations.
“This decision will come as a huge relief to the growers,” said Basheer Ahmad Basheer, President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union. “Traders and orchardists lost crores as fruits spoiled en route due to highway closure. The special train will cut freight costs and ensure smoother access to markets across the country,” he told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
Officials said that while apples will make up the bulk of consignments, the trains will also carry saffron, walnuts, carpets, pashmina shawls, and other Kashmiri handicrafts to Delhi and beyond.
For growers like Farooq Ahmad of Sopore, the service is a lifeline. “This initiative will offer huge relief to farmers. It gives us an alternative route when the highway becomes unreliable due to bad weather or landslides,” he said.
The horticulture sector generates nearly Rs 10,000 crore annually in Jammu and Kashmir and provides livelihood to around seven lakh families. Any disruption in transportation during the harvesting season can severely impact both growers’ incomes and the Valley’s economy.
Railway officials said the move is part of a broader push to improve logistics for perishable goods from Kashmir. Earlier this year, a similar initiative was rolled out when a cherry-laden train was dispatched from Katra to Mumbai. (KINS)
