SRINAGAR, Sept 2: PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to introduce a dedicated train service between the Kashmir Valley and Delhi to address the crisis faced by fruit growers following the repeated closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44).
In a post on X, Mufti said the frequent highway blockades have left hundreds of fruit-laden trucks stranded, leading to severe financial losses for growers.
“Fruit growers have been facing heavy losses every year due to the closure of NH-44. Unfortunately, this year again the road has been shut, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and causing inevitable damage to perishable produce,” she wrote.
She appealed to the Union Railway Minister to consider a special cargo train as an urgent measure, saying such an initiative would bring much-needed relief to the fruit industry, which remains a backbone of Kashmir’s economy.
Speaking to reporters later, the PDP president highlighted that the fruit sector has supported the region even in the toughest times, especially when tourism was hit after incidents like the recent Pahalgam attack.
“The biggest problem today is for the fruit growers because trucks are stuck on the highway, cold storages are full, and mandis have no space left. The fruit industry has kept J-K alive in the most difficult periods, and now the government must step in,” she said.
She further warned that the recent floods, particularly in Jammu, have already caused large-scale destruction, and any delay in transporting fruits could prove disastrous for the Union Territory’s economy.
“Today, there is a need for a special cargo train so that fruits are quickly transported to Delhi and mandis across the country. This is the need of the hour to save growers from devastating losses,” she added.
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