Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday flagged off the first-ever cargo parcel train from Srinagar to Delhi, providing much-needed relief to fruit growers while making transportation affordable.
The cargo parcel train was flagged off from Nowgam railway station here and is expected to arrive in Delhi on Tuesday.
This marks a significant step towards the development of the region, which heavily relies on agricultural produce.
LG Sinha, while flagging off the train, said, “I am thankful to the Prime Minister, as the cargo service has been started. Every day, 23 to 24 tonnes of apples and other perishable goods will be transported from here, which will reach Delhi the next day.”
The LG said, “The cargo train service will boost the economy by providing a much-needed alternative mode of transportation.”
“This train will contribute a lot to economic upliftment. We know that due to topographic conditions and heavy rainfall, the national highway gets closed sometimes, and it used to cause losses to the fruit growers. The services started by the railways are a good initiative that will help local businesses connect with the rest of the country,” he added.
Sinha said while the train service would lead to further integration of Jammu and Kashmir, the goods from Kashmir would reach markets in the rest of the country at reasonable prices.
The persistent rainfall in the UT since last month has damaged several patches of the national highway connecting Srinagar with the rest of the country.
The constant road closures caused serious concern to the local horticulture farmers, who feared that the bumper apple crop this year might perish even before reaching the markets of the country.
Also Read: Railway tracks in Kashmir to be upgraded by August 31: Centre
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