Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to launch a dedicated train service connecting Kashmir and Delhi to ease the hardships faced by fruit growers in the valley following the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
“Fruit growers suffer significant financial losses each year due to NH 44 closures. This year, the road has once again been shut, leaving hundreds of fruit-laden vehicles stranded and causing unavoidable losses,” Mufti said in a post on X.
She emphasized that a dedicated train service between the valley and Delhi could provide crucial relief to the fruit industry. “I appeal to Union Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw to introduce a dedicated train service to help growers. This initiative would bring much-needed support to all those involved in the trade,” she added.
Speaking to reporters later, Mufti, a former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K, highlighted the widespread difficulties caused by the highway closure. “The biggest challenge is for fruit growers, with numerous trucks stranded on the highway and no space available in mandis or cold storages,” she said.
The PDP chief also pointed out that while tourism suffered after the Pahalgam attack, the fruit industry has sustained J-K during the most challenging times. “There is an urgent need for a special cargo train to transport fruit from J-K to Delhi. Growers must benefit from such train services,” she said.
She further appealed to the Railway Minister to ensure swift arrangements for a special cargo train to transport fruits to markets across the country. Mufti warned that recent floods, particularly in Jammu, have already caused severe damage in the UT, and any spoilage of fruits would be disastrous.
