Railway Minister announces parcel train to transport apples from Kashmir to Delhi

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the launch of a daily parcel train service between Budgam and Adarsh ​​Nagar in Delhi on Thursday to alleviate the struggles of apple breeders in Kashmir.

The movement comes as a relief for the gardens in Southern Kashmir, where hundreds of trucks loaded with Apple products are stranded due to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway for the last 13 days following the landslides triggered by heavy rains. Many trucks had to discharge rotten apples in orchards and highways.

“Strengthening Kashmir’s apple breeders. With the Jammu-Srinagar line operational, the Kashmir Valley has a better connection. Railways offers a daily-time parcel train in Delhi, starting from 13 September 2025 to the Adarsh ​​Nagar Station in Delhi in the Kashmir Valley.

Two parcels of parcel trucks carrying apples from Budgam to Delhi were loaded on Thursday. “Every minibus will carry 23 metric tons of apples,” he said.

The train will leave the Buddam station on Saturday at 6.15 am and will reach the Adarsh ​​Nagar station at 5 am the next day, “A suitable time for apples to reach the Delhi market early in the morning.”

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Prime Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his gratitude for starting the service to the railway ministry.

“I can gratly gratitude to the railway minister to make this initiative possible. We are in contact with each other to address the problem. The frequent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which was damaged by the last heavy rains, could not produce such a way at the summit of the apple industry of Kashmir.” in question.

Orchards are moving

An official, if there is more demand, said the railways are ready to run such trains more. The orchards and apple sellers in the valley welcomed my name and underlined the need to print on such train services to save the horticulture sector.

“Thousands of trucks are stuck in the last two weeks. The losses are estimated to be around 100- ₹ 200 Crore. The problem was that the road was completely good. The road was completely good, but suddenly before the season, this disaster, which was the beginning of the season, first appeared in a bad way. Hindu.

“I am afraid that Kashmir apple quality perspective is determined among the buyers and affects the pricing for the whole season, affecting the whole season. If the problem persists, we look at the losses in thousands of Crore. When we need to be heard, we need to be more needed, we need to be more needed, for at least 10-15 days to ease the pressure.

The Apple production of J & K remained in 20.40 lakh metric tons in 2023-24 and contributed to more than 70% of the country’s total product.