Mehbooba Mufti Calls for Dedicated Kashmir-Delhi Train Service for Fruit Growers

Mehbooba Mufti, president of the People's Democratic Party, urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to start a dedicated train service between Kashmir and Delhi. This action is intended to ease the problems faced by fruit growers due to the frequent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which leaves many trucks of fruit stranded.

In a recent post, Mufti highlighted that road closures cause repeated significant financial damage every year to the growers. Acknowledging the problem, she called for a special cargo train to transport fruits from Jammu and Kashmir to Delhi, thus ensuring fruit reaches markets across the country swiftly.

Addressing the media, Mufti, a former chief minister of J-K, emphasized that tourism had suffered after the Pahalgam attack, making it critical for the fruit industry to have reliable transport. Recent floods have further complicated the situation, potentially leading to devastating losses if the fruit is not transported promptly.

(With inputs from agencies.)