Special freight trains will be run between Budgam in Kashmir valley and Adarsh Nagar railway station in Delhi to transport apples and other fruit which are ripe as also ready for harvest now. In fact, the disruption in the road networks, particularly the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has halted this transportation at present. Due to this, the horticulture sector is facing losses as some fruit could not be plucked on time and taken to the markets in Delhi and beyond.
Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw gave the information regarding plying of freight trains via a post on X. He said the step was meant to help and empower apple growers of Kashmir and wrote on his handle: With the Jammu-Srinagar line operational, the Kashmir Valley has better connectivity. Railway is introducing a daily time-tabled parcel train from Budgam in Kashmir Valley to Adarsh Nagar station in Delhi beginning 13th September 2025. The loading of two parcel vans carrying apples from Budgam to Delhi is beginning today.
This has come as a major relief for the horticulturists of Kashmir who will now be able to transport their produce in double quick time to markets outside the Valley. This will impact their access to markets in a very positive way as the time taken to travel from Budgam to Delhi via parcel trains is likely to be barely 23 hours, or a little more than that. Presently, all fruit is transported from Kashmir to markets outside via road network and loaded trucks can take anything between four to five days to reach Delhi.
In Delhi, most of the fruit from Kashmir is handled by wholesale businessmen at the Azadpur mandi. Adarsh Nagar station has apparently been chosen as unloading the fruit there and transporting it elsewhere is easier than from any other station. Incidentally, the Railway Board had approved a cargo service between Budgam and Delhi on August 20, less than a month ago. The Joint Parcel Product-Cargo service is to run on daily basis. This is a service which will be immensely beneficial for the businessmen as it is expected to offer a faster and more reliable option than road transport.
J&K’s Horticulture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar on September 11 said that the Valley’s horticulture sector has suffered significant losses due to the prolonged closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. However, he maintained that it would be “premature” to put a figure on the damage, dismissing early estimates ranging between Rs 400 to Rs 600 crores, which some so-called business leaders are claiming. He said proper assessments will be made in due course of time to reach any figure conclusively and speculation was not needed.
The Minister told a news agency, “We have already informed the Centre that horticulture has suffered a severe setback. The Chief Minister is in constant touch with the highest levels in New Delhi for relief and support. Whether the losses are in horticulture, housing, infrastructure, or the lives tragically lost, our effort is to secure relief for everyone who has been affected by this natural calamity.”
The train service will operate with eight VPs (parcel vans) and one SLR (seating cum luggage rake). The service will have an intermediate loading/unloading facility at Bari Brahmana (BBMN). It needs to be mentioned here that due to steep gradient from Katra to Banihal, the train rakes that ply to Kashmir Valley have far fewer wagons than conventional trains that run in plains. The Vande Bharat trains that ply between Katra and Srinagar are also much smaller as compared to their counterparts elsewhere in India.
Heavy rains and disruption of Katra-Jammu rail line because of a massive landslide some days ago has disrupted the plans to start this service earlier. However, the stoppage of heavy vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar road added another layer of urgency to start this freight service. Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had demanded the start of this rail service some days ago to help the locals evacuate fruit.
Uchit Singh, Senior Commercial Manager of Jammu Division, has said that the parcel service is meant to help businesses in Kashmir. It is meant to showcase the unique products of Jammu & Kashmir, including dry fruits, handicrafts and encourage their marketing.
Meanwhile, despite round the clock hectic efforts being made by engineers and workers, the Jammu-Srinagar road is still only partially open. The new trouble spot that has emerged on this 270-km highway is Tharad near Udhampur where landslide has destroyed the existing road. Use of heavy machinery and clearing of the debris has helped but the wet soil has created slippery conditions. The police is regulating the traffic along many stretches on the highway as it is unlikely to become operational any time soon.
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