After the successful railway connection between Kashmir and the rest of India in June last year, a dedicated cargo train service between Budgam in central Kashmir and Delhi is now set to boost trade in the region.
The initiative is especially significant for the horticulture sector, with apples alone contributing nearly ₹8,000 crores annually to the industry.
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The new service is designed to improve the distribution of Kashmir’s renowned produce, ensuring that valuable consignments reach national markets swiftly and efficiently.
One of the key benefits will be reducing losses faced by growers when apple trucks remain stranded for days on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway due to landslides or poor weather, often causing delays and spoilage.
The Railway Board has approved the Joint Parcel Product–Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) to provide fruit growers and traders with a faster and more economical alternative to road transport.
According to Divisional Railway Manager (Jammu Division) Vivek Kumar, this first-of-its-kind service in the division will operate daily.
The service is designed to link the railways and the private sector through a virtual aggregation platform. Registration fees for bookings have been reduced. The aim is to benefit Kashmir’s fruit producers, as well as both small and large businesses.
The train will run from Budgam to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi, completing the journey in about 23 hours: considerably quicker than by road. It will include eight parcel vans and a seating-cum-luggage rake, with loading and unloading facilities at Bari Brahmana station in Samba for traders from Jammu.
The service will carry apples, saffron, walnuts, pashmina, carpets, and handicrafts to markets across India. It will prove more economical than road transport, generate new jobs, and strengthen the state’s economy.
Initially, the cargo train will run on a pilot basis, with security provided by the J&K Police. It follows the arrival of the first-ever freight train at the Anantnag goods shed earlier this month, which transported cement and marked Kashmir’s entry into the national freight network.
Fruit growers and traders have welcomed the new service, calling it a time-saving and cost-effective lifeline. With the launch of the Budgam–Delhi cargo train, the government hopes to reduce reliance on road transport and ensure that Kashmir’s apples and other products reach national markets fresh and on time.
