Srinagar- Indian Railways will operate two parcel vans from Thursday to transport fruits from Kashmir Valley to Jammu and Delhi, offering relief to the horticulture sector hit by the prolonged closure of National Highway 44 due to torrential rains and floods.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a daily parcel train will begin from Budgam station to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi from Saturday, ensuring timely transport of the season's finest Kashmiri apples.“Empowering Kashmir's apple growers. With the Jammu-Srinagar line operational, the Valley has better connectivity. Railways is introducing a daily time-tabled parcel train from Budgam in Kashmir Valley to Adarsh Nagar station in Delhi starting September 13, 2025,” Vaishnaw said in an X post.

Officials said one parcel van will be bound for Delhi and another for Jammu, marking a“transformative era” for the Valley's horticulture logistics. By reducing dependence on vulnerable road routes, the rail service aims to invigorate the sector and support the local economy.

Fruit Growers Welcome Move

Fruit growers in Kashmir welcomed the launch of a trial parcel train service carrying apples to Delhi, saying it will cut travel time nearly in half and save produce from rotting due to frequent highway closures.

Varun Mital from Fine Valley Agri Farms, whose consignment was among the first dispatched on Thursday said that the initiative has come at a critical time.“Earlier, sending fruit to Delhi used to take around 36 hours. Now the same work will be done in just 20 hours. This will directly improve the quality of fruit reaching the markets,” he said.

He noted that the continued closure of National Highway-44 had badly affected growers.“The highway, considered the lifeline of Kashmir, has remained shut for 14 days. We lost 30–60 percent of our produce in trucks that got stranded. In plums, we faced a 100 percent loss, and in pears nearly 70 percent,” he said.

According to Mital, Thursday's trial included two cargo coaches carrying about 3,000 apple boxes-around 36 tons. Each railway container, he added, can carry up to 23 tons of fruit.“Today, two of our trucks with 1,500 boxes each were loaded. In future, the number of trains and cargoes will increase, with proper scanning and other facilities in place,” he said.

Mital credited the government for introducing the service at short notice.“This is a great initiative, and it will benefit not only us but also other growers. It reduces our dependency on the highway and opens a more reliable route through the railways,” he said.

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