NH-44 disruptions worry fruit growers in Kashmir as harvest season begins
The apple industry is regarded as the backbone of Kashmir’s economy and accounts for about 75 per cent of the country’s total apple production
Frequent disruptions on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) during the monsoon have left fruit growers in the Valley worried, as the harvest season has commenced and more produce is expected to be transported outside the Union Territory in the coming weeks.
The apple industry is regarded as the backbone of Kashmir’s economy and accounts for about 75 per cent of the country’s total apple production.
Despite improvements in the condition of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in recent years, traffic on the vital road link has frequently been disrupted during the monsoon, with heavy rainfall triggering landslides and shooting stones.
Fruit growers and others associated with the industry said the disruptions were causing concern as the harvest gathers pace and growers prepare to transport their produce to different parts of the country and beyond.
They said uninterrupted movement of fruit-laden trucks on the highway was essential.
“We want the authorities to ensure the road remains open so that fruit-laden trucks are not stuck,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers’ Union, an umbrella elected body of fruit growers’ associations.
He said the trucks carried perishable fruit that could be damaged if they remained stranded on the national highway for days.
In recent weeks, the vital road link has remained shut after spells of rain triggered landslides and rockfalls.
Recently, the growers’ group wrote to the Jammu and Kashmir Government, saying the harvesting of fruits was in full swing and that 100-120 trucks loaded with early varieties of pears, apples and plums were leaving the Valley daily for different destinations across the country.
“Fruit growers of the Valley had already suffered heavy losses during the months of April and May due to a series of incidents of strong hailstorm and stormy winds. The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) is the only road connecting Valley with the rest of country and is lifeline for transportation of fresh fruits/vegetables,” the body said.
It also said an advisory directing one-way traffic on NH-44 in view of road maintenance and restrictions associated with the ongoing Amarnath Yatra was affecting the transportation of fresh produce, raising fears of financial losses during the crucial market season.
“Better coordination between traffic authorities, highway agencies and district administration is necessarily required in order to provide real time updates on road conditions so that transporters can plan their journeys accordingly,” it said.
Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who has been permitted by a court to attend the ongoing Parliament session, met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari this week and urged him to establish a dedicated green corridor for fruit-laden trucks on National Highway-44 during the harvesting season.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said fruit-laden trucks from Kashmir and petroleum tankers from Jammu were being given priority on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
