Northern Railways Boosts Apple Transport from Kashmir with Container Wagons
Jammu: Northern Railways on Monday deployed 21 container-based wagons to transport apples from Kashmir, further supporting the region’s apple industry, officials said.
Over the past week, more than 6,400 tons of apples were moved from the Anantnag Goods Shed Terminal in Kashmir to Delhi using bogie covered wagons (BCN) and parcel coaches. “Each of the 21 wagons supplied at Bari Brahmana for loading carried nearly 76 special containers, each weighing 40 kilograms,” officials added.
In another initiative, the Jammu Railway division arranged for crates and racks for apple storage in cold storage units at Lassipora in Pulwama district to be loaded onto a BCN rake bound for Anantnag. For the first time, insulated steel puff panels—used for temperature-controlled apple storage—were also unloaded at Anantnag. “These panels enhance insulation and energy efficiency, ensuring better storage conditions for apples,” an official said.
The Jammu division continues to run parcel trains efficiently transporting perishable goods from Kashmir to Delhi. Since the service began on September 11, 2025, two parcel van coaches—one to Jammu and the other to Adarsh Nagar, Delhi—have been operating, each loaded with roughly 23 tons of goods. Remarkably, a parcel van reached Adarsh Nagar from Budgam Railway Station in under 21 hours, while another reached Jammu in less than six hours.
On September 15, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off an eight-parcel van train, each coach carrying 23 tons, from Srinagar to Adarsh Nagar. “These trains reached Delhi much faster than road transport,” officials noted.
Expanding the service beyond apples, over 500 tons of mustard oil and other essential food items have also been transported from Bari Brahmana to Budgam, ensuring steady supplies despite road connectivity disruptions.
