New Delhi
Giving another boost to the transport network of Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Railways on Saturday launched a freight train from Punjab’s Rupnagar to Anantnag in Kashmir. This cement -laden goods train reached Anantnag Goods shed of Kashmir Valley at around 12 noon on Saturday afternoon, which is a major achievement in connecting the Kashmir region to the national freight train network. The freight train came in June this year in June 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), or two months after the successful launch of passenger operations on the entire part of the Kashmir line.
The Kashmiri fruit and handicraft industry is expected to get new life due to easy access to markets across the country with this freight train connectivity. In a statement, the Railway Ministry called it historic, saying, “The arrival of goods train in Kashmir Valley begins a new era of logistics and economic development.” The ministry said, “(this) is not just a logistics achievement, but a strong symbol of progress and integration, paving the way to a more affiliated and rich Kashmir Valley.”
Officials said 1,380 metric tonnes of cement were filled in the bogie -covered wagons in the goods train, which are used to carry off goods in the bag. Cement was ordered by private institutions involved in various construction projects including roads, bridges, public infrastructure and residential buildings in the Kashmir Valley. Northern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said, “21 BCN Wagon Cement was filled in the inaugural freight train. This journey of about 600 km today ended on the newly constructed Anantnag Goods shed in less than 18 hours. The event is a symbol of the first time for this facility, which is especially a new age for this facility to support a new age in the Kashmir Refers to readiness. “
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said, “The Northern Railway was requested for this cement transport at around 11 pm on Thursday. After this, the rake was arranged and the loading was completed by 6 pm on Friday evening. The train left from the GACL Suvidha Kendra at Roopnagar at around 7 pm on Friday. The arrival of goods train in Anantnag is good news for the traders of Jammu and Kashmir. This will reduce the transportation cost of goods coming in the valley, as well as a major change, for short -term fruits such as the fruit industry of Kashmir, especially some varieties of cherries, strawberries and apples.
Fayaz Ahmed Malik, president of the country’s second largest fruit market, Sopore Fruit Mandi, said, “This will benefit fruit growers as it will reduce both time and cost in transportation.” At present, the transportation of a fruit compartment till Delhi costs Rs 100 or more. From this train, we hope that it will be reduced to Rs 30 per box. Similarly, we hope that the transportation time will also come down from 6 days to 30 hours.
However, Malik said that the benefit of the freight train will be available to the fruit growers only when direct trains will run for various fruit mandis like West Bengal, Ahmedabad and Northeast. The goods train came to Kashmir two months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 63-km Katra-Sangaldan section of USBRL on 6 June and a specially designed Vande Bharat train between Srinagar and Katra. With the completion of this project, a project connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country has been completed.
The 272 km long USBRL is divided into three parts-25 km Udhampur-Katra, 111 km Katra-Banihal and 136 km Banihal-Baramulla line. Two sections of Udhampur-Katra in Jammu and Banihal-Baramula in Kashmir were constructed by Northern Railway, the largest area of Indian Railways, and was operational in three phases-118 km in 2009, Kazigund-Baramula, 2013 in 2013, 18 km Banihal-Kazigund and 25 km in 2014, Udhampur-Katra.
