Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday flagged off the first cargo parcel train from the valley to Delhi, which will provide a cheaper and reliable mode of transportation for perishable goods like fruits to the terminal markets of the country.
The cargo parcel train was flagged off from Nowgam railway station here and is scheduled to reach Delhi on Tuesday
“I am thankful to the prime minister as 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,” Sinha told reporters after flagging off the train.
The LG said the cargo train service will boost the local economy by providing an alternative mode of transportation.
“This train will contribute a lot to the economic upliftment. We know due to topographic conditions and heavy rainfall, the national highway gets closed sometimes and it used to cause losses to the fruit growers. The Railways has started a very good service and I want to thank them for it,” he added.
Sinha said while the train service will lead to “further integration of Jammu and Kashmir”, the goods from Kashmir will reach the markets in the rest of the country at lesser costs.
According to an official press release, the parcel train service (Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service) will be operational on all days and is suitable for all parcel commodities.
The eight-parcel-van coach train has the total weight capacity of around 180 tonnes (23 tonnes each coach). The booking for full parcel vans is available in online mode, while smaller consignments can also be booked through off-line mode.
The freight train departing from Budgam at 6:15 am, will make a stop at Bari Brahmana Jammu from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm, and will arrive at Adarsh Nagar, New Delhi at 5:30 am, next day.
Later in the day, a delegation of Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union led by its chairman Bashir Ahmad Basheer called on LG Sinha, an official press release informed
It said the members of the delegation expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LG Manoj Sinha for the new parcel train from Budgam to Adarsh Nagar, New Delhi. They also put forth various welfare issues of fruit growers and traders from the Valley including smooth movement of fruit-laden trucks on National Highway-44 (Srinagar-Jammu highway) and 10-tyre trucks on Mughal Road.
The LG assured the delegation that appropriate action will be taken to address the issues of fruit growers and traders. He said that men and machinery have been deployed for complete restoration of the National Highway, and the stranded fruit-laden vehicles will be cleared on priority.
He further assured that railway freight terminals will be established to facilitate the fruit growers and traders from different parts of the valley.
