Thu Sep 11 21:15:46 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten news article formatted for publication.
**Summary:**
Following severe disruptions caused by heavy rains and landslides that closed the Srinagar-Jammu highway, leaving hundreds of trucks loaded with Kashmiri apples stranded and rotting, the Indian Railway Ministry has launched a daily parcel train service between Budgam, Kashmir and Adarsh Nagar, Delhi, starting September 13, 2025. This initiative aims to help apple growers transport their produce to markets and alleviate the significant financial losses incurred due to the highway closure. While welcomed by orchardists and officials, concerns remain that the initial capacity may be insufficient to address the scale of the crisis, requiring further action and potentially more train services.
**News Article:**
**Daily Parcel Train Service Launched to Rescue Kashmir’s Apple Crop After Highway Closure**
**Srinagar, September 12, 2025** – In a swift response to the crisis facing Kashmiri apple growers, the Railway Ministry has launched a daily parcel train service to transport apples from Budgam in the Kashmir Valley to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi. The initiative comes after a 13-day closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway due to heavy rains and landslides left hundreds of trucks laden with apples stranded, leading to significant spoilage and financial losses estimated at ₹200 crore.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the service on Thursday, stating that the first train will depart from Budgam on Saturday, September 13th. Each of the two parcel vans will carry 23 metric tons of apples, with the train expected to arrive in Delhi at 5:00 am, a time suitable for delivery to the markets.
“Empowering Kashmir’s apple growers. With the Jammu-Srinagar line operational, the Kashmir Valley has better connectivity. Railways is introducing a daily time-tabled parcel train from Budgam in Kashmir Valley to Adarsh Nagar station in Delhi starting September 13, 2025,” Mr. Vaishnaw said on X.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed gratitude for the Railway Ministry’s intervention. Chief Minister Abdullah stated, “The frequent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, damaged by recent heavy rains, has left Kashmir’s apple industry reeling at the peak of the harvest season. Growers have been unable to transport their produce to markets outside the Valley, resulting in mounting losses.”
While the initiative has been widely welcomed, concerns have been raised about the capacity of the service. Izhan Javed, an apple dealer and spokesperson of J&K Fruits and Vegetables Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association, said that the two initial parcel vans can only accommodate 40 tons of fruit and advocated for “two to three full cargo trains every day for at least 10-15 days to relieve the pressure.”
J&K’s apple production reached 20.40 lakh metric tons in 2023-24, contributing over 70% of the total produce of the country. The disruption to the harvest season has raised concerns about the quality and reputation of Kashmir apples, potentially impacting prices for the entire season. While the new train service is a positive step, industry experts emphasize the need for continued and increased support to fully mitigate the impact of the recent weather-related disaster.
First Piper 