Relief to apple growers in Kashmir as Railways introduces two parcel vans to take valley's fruits to Jammu, Delhi

Srinagar/New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) In a move aimed at bringing relief to apple growers in Kashmir, Indian Railways will operate two parcel vans to transport fruits from the valley to Jammu and Delhi, officials said on Thursday.

The horticulture sector in Kashmir Valley suffered losses due to the prolonged closure of the National Highway 44, or the Srinagar-Jammu highway, due to torrential rains and floods in the Union Territory, they said.

"Indian Railways has provided two Vehicle Parcel (LVPH coaches) train for the transportation of apples. These Vehicle Parcel are being loaded today, and each will carry 23 metric tonnes (MT) of apples," a railway official said.

While the loading of two parcel vans, carrying apples from Budgam to Delhi, began on Thursday, the Railways is introducing a daily time-tabled parcel train between Budgam and Adarsh Nagar in Delhi from Saturday.

While the fruit growers have welcomed the start of the service, they have demanded more bogies to transport large quantities of fruits out of the valley.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that with the Jammu-Srinagar railway line now being operational, a parcel train will be introduced to transport apples daily from Budgam station in Kashmir to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi from Saturday.

In an X post, he said, "Empowering Kashmir's apple growers. With the Jammu-Srinagar line operational, the Kashmir Valley has better connectivity. Railways is introducing a daily time-tabled parcel train from Budgam in Kashmir Valley to Adarsh Nagar station in Delhi starting September 13, 2025." He said two parcel vans carrying apples from Budgam to Delhi were loaded on Thursday.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have expressed gratitude to the Centre for the introduction of the parcel vans.

Sinha said the move will bring huge relief to apple growers.

"The daily parcel-train from Budgam to New Delhi will bring huge relief to apple growers. My deepest gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw," he said in a post on X.

Chief Minister Abdullah also expressed gratitude to the railway minister.

"The chief minister has expressed gratitude to Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw for support, as train parcels have now reached Kashmir. Horticulture Department is coordinating the transportation with the fruit growers," the CM office said.

Later, Abdullah said service was achieved after about a week's close coordination between his secretariat and the railway ministry officials.

"It took about a week of close coordination between the railway ministry officials & officers in my secretariat with inputs from the J&K Agriculture Production Department to get to the point where our harvested fruit is now being transported by train," Abdullah said on his personal X handle.

He said with the national highway "continuing to give us trouble, this has become a source of great relief for growers whose produce risked rotting because it wasn't reaching the market".

"My thanks to @AshwiniVaishnaw Sb for responding to my calls & endless messages to get to this off the ground," Abdullah added.

Railway officials said two parcel vans will depart from Budgam station -- one bound for Delhi and the other for Jammu, both laden with the season's finest Kashmiri apples.

From Saturday, the eight Vehicle Parcel train will originate from Budgam Railway Station (BDGM) at 6:15 am and reach Adarsh Nagar Railway Station (ANDI) at 5 am the next day, which is a very suitable time for apples to arrive at the Delhi market early in the morning, they said.

"This marks the advent of a transformative era in Kashmir's logistics, offering a faster and more reliable route for the Valley's celebrated horticultural produce to reach national markets," an official said.

"By reducing the dependence on vulnerable road routes, these direct rail services signify a bold new chapter for commerce in the region -- invigorating the horticulture sector and providing fresh impetus to the economy of Kashmir as a whole," the official added.

As the Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed due to landslides, trucks carrying apples were stranded, causing severe financial loss to the farmers in the UT.

The UT government had requested the railway minister to start a parcel train to help the apple growers.

Welcoming the start of the service, the fruit growers in Kashmir have demanded more bogeys to transport large quantities of fruit out of the valley.

"This step is welcome. We congratulate the government and the railway authorities for this. But, two bogeys are not enough. They are saying eight bogeys will be started soon. But, even that will not be enough," chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, told PTI.

He said more bogeys must be added to cater to the huge demand of transporting vast quantities of fruits from the Kashmir valley to the markets outside the UT.

The officials said Indian Railways is ready to provide additional Vehicle Parcel if demand is received.

The Principal Chief Commercial Manager of Northern Railway and Divisional Railway Manager of Jammu Division are in constant touch with state authorities, the horticulture department, fruit growers' associations, and traders, they added. PTI SSB JP KVK KVK