First Freight Train Arrives in Kashmir Valley | Boost to Commerce & Fruit Trade
Anantnag, Kashmir Valley — In a historic moment, the first-ever freight train steamed into the Kashmir Valley, reaching the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed from Punjab. This milestone, praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great day for commerce and connectivity in J&K,” is anticipated to revolutionize trade and prosperity across the region.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the train, loaded with 21 wagons of cement, would drastically cut transportation costs for Kashmiri citizens and businesses. Hundreds of locals flocked to Anantnag station to witness the event, brimming with optimism. Fruit traders, especially apple growers, are jubilant. Khalid Sidiq, a Pulwama apple dealer, called it a “game changer,” enabling faster nationwide distribution and reducing dependency on the often-blocked Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Covering nearly 600 km in less than 18 hours, the train’s swift arrival marks a leap in logistics for the valley. Northern Railway’s Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said the new rail link “ushers in a new era of logistical and economic growth,” promising a more connected and prosperous Kashmir Valley for years to come.
