SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has welcomed the Government’s announcement regarding the launch of a daily parcel train service for the transportation of apple consignments from Budgam in the Kashmir Valley to Adarsh Nagar station in Delhi. It is expected to provide much-needed relief to the horticulture sector by ensuring reliable, cost-effective, and time-bound connectivity with major markets.
In a statement, KCCI observed that the decision comes at a crucial time when fruit growers in Kashmir have been facing recurring losses owing to road blockages and disruptions in the movement of fruit-laden trucks along the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway due to weather vagaries. The Chamber underlined that the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, being highly vulnerable to landslides due to multiple factors viz snowfall, landslides, heavy rainfall etc has repeatedly failed to offer consistent passage during the peak harvest season, resulting in heavy financial setbacks for the horticulture sector.
KCCI said that the introduction of a dedicated parcel train service would significantly mitigate these challenges, offering growers and traders a dependable alternative for the swift movement of perishable produce and consumer items . This initiative will not only help safeguard the quality of Kashmir’s apples but will also strengthen the confidence of growers and traders who have long been seeking secure transport facilities.
At the same time, KCCI stressed that given the scale of Kashmir’s horticultural output and the sector’s importance to the Valley’s economy, the Chamber urged the government to consider increasing the number of parcel trains in the coming months and to expand similar services to cover other regions and markets across the country. Such steps, it said, would go a long way in ensuring that Kashmir’s horticultural produce, particularly apples, reaches wider markets efficiently and without disruption.
KCCI expressed its appreciation to the authorities concerned for addressing this longstanding demand of the growers and assured its full cooperation in making the initiative a success.