First freight train chugs into Kashmir Valley, raises hopes of fruit traders

The first-ever freight train chugged into Kashmir Valley on Saturday. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said it reached the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed from Punjab.

“It marked a significant milestone in connecting the Kashmir region to the national freight network. Transportation by railway network will reduce cost for our citizens living in Kashmir Valley,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the feat as a “great day for commerce and connectivity in J&K”. “It will enhance both progress and prosperity,” he posted on X.

Hundreds of locals swarmed the Anantnag railway station to witness the train. It carried 21 wagons of cement, “significantly reducing transportation cost”, officials said.

The train has brought smiles on the faces of local fruit traders. “It will be a game changer for the fruit industry. The train will help [goods] reach across the country in the shortest period of time. Apple industry is no longer dependent on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which would remain closed in winters for weeks and months together,” Khalid Sidiq, an apple dealer from Pulwama, said.

Northern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said the train covered around 600 km before it reached the Anantnag Goods Shed. “It reached in less than 18 hours,” Mr. Upadhyay said.

Mr. Upadhyay said the train would usher in a “new era of logistical and economic growth”. “It will pave the way for a more connected and prosperous Kashmir Valley,” he said.