SRINAGAR: Nearly 5.43 lakh apple boxes were dispatched by rail from Kashmir’s Budgam, Anantnag, and Baramulla stations until September 21, marking a busy harvest season for the Valley’s fruit industry, officials said on Monday.
According to official figures, Anantnag station handled the bulk of the load with ten trains transporting 4,30,013 boxes, including a single-day record of 91,662 boxes on September 20. Budgam followed with eight trains carrying 94,388 boxes, along with 225 bags of walnuts and 74 walnut giri boxes. From Baramulla, one train transported 18,298 boxes, comprising 18,098 apples and 200 pears.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg said that over the past few days, more than 1.37 lakh metric tonnes of fruit have been dispatched from the Valley through the Mughal Road, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, and the railway parcel service. He added that the process is being carried out under the Standard Operating Procedure devised under the Chief Secretary’s guidance.
Garg highlighted the role of traffic police in facilitating the movement of around 1,500 to 2,000 fruit-laden trucks daily from the Valley to Jammu.
Meanwhile, traffic movement on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was restored on Monday. Light motor vehicles were permitted until 10 am, followed by heavy motor vehicles until 3 pm, with nearly 700 trucks allowed to ply.
Fruit growers expressed cautious optimism, saying full highway restoration would ease pressure on the markets, ensure more frequent truck movements, and support the Valley’s apple industry.
