A historic moment
Kashmir has for decades together battled the issue of road connectivity. The issue had turned so grave that despite huge strides of development reported across the country, Kashmir remained backward in terms of industrial growth and overall trade.
Though the NH44, the only road link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country was developed to a huge extent but still the road connectivity proved a huge impediment in developing the region’s various sectors.
For sorting out this issue the union government in mid-eighties announced a rail link to Kashmir but the project remained a distant dream for decades together. However, the past several years the project saw tremendous strides and the rail link turned a reality with not only passenger travel becoming easy and comfortable but the goods service to and fro Kashmir also seeing the light of the day.
On Sunday when the first-ever foodgrain freight train of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) reached the Anantnag Goods Terminal here in south Kashmir, the historic moment formally integrating the region with the national freight rail network.
The freight rake, carrying approximately 1,384 tonnes of food grains loaded in 21 BCN wagons, was dispatched from Ajitwal Railway Station and successfully arrived at Anantnag Goods Terminal.
Even the Lt Guv Manoj Sinha termed the development a historic one and said that long-cherished dream of connecting the Kashmir region to the national freight network was finally realised.
The arrival of the train is a step to ensure an uninterrupted and efficient supply of foodgrains to the Valley, particularly to remote and far-flung areas especially during the winter months when road connectivity to the region becomes unpredictable and cumbersome as well.
Notably, the rail-based transportation will not only enhance the reliability of buffer stock movement but also reduce transportation costs, making the supply chain faster and more economical.
The development will provide a boost to local markets, strengthen the regional agricultural economy, and create new opportunities in logistics and allied sectors.
Interestingly, the commissioning of the Anantnag Goods Terminal has opened new avenues for the movement of essential commodities and other goods, paving the way for expanded freight operations in future.
Even this year when during the prime days of summer season when the apples started ripening here in the valley and heavy rains disrupted the movement of trucks on the NH44, it was the train freight service that was run on priority basis and tonnes of apples were transported to various fruit markets in Delhi and elsewhere.
The freight train service can work wonders for the region’s economy. The region which remained backward in industrial growth can now onwards witness new spheres of growth as the freight of goods and raw material will come down substantially once the service becomes a routine feature.
The administration too needs to take up the movement of freight train service with rail authorities and ensure that more such trains are run to other parts of Kashmir, which will revolutionize logistics and the supply chain across the entire region.
