With the start of freight service of the Northern Railways (NR) between Kashmir and other parts of the country, the scenario has changed for the good as from now onwards not only fruit growers and traders will get an edge to transport their produce out of Kashmir but essential supplies for the Valley including strategic load for the defence services can also be brought in without worry of disruptions along the NH 44.
In this regard, already things have started rolling as a day before the NR has ferried 753 metric tonnes of advance winter stocking (AWS) loads for Indian Army units and formations in Kashmir, marking a decisive turn in the mode of transporting supplies. It is a landmark change in the mode of transporting supplies to the Valley as weather constraints have now been completely eliminated for the rail service being an all-weather entity. Of course the freight trains will also carry other loads to and fro between Valley and other locations in the coming time ending the sole reliability on the Jammu-Srinagar highway which served the nation for decades and is going to do in the future also as the work on its modernization is moving apace and it is now a matter of some more time that this facility will also become all-weather promising year round connectivity for the stakeholders.
Reportedly, the USBRL witnessed a historic milestone with the successful run of the freight train, the first exclusive freight train of the Indian Army, from BD Bari to Anantnag. Earlier during rainy season and the time of snowy conditions in winters the travelling between Jammu and Srinagar used to get a jolt as the highway faced many bottlenecks on account of landslides, mudslides and slippery conditions but with trains started chugging on this route the travel is likely to become convenient and more reliable with both freight and passengers including army personnel allowed to move between plains of Jammu and difficult terrains of the Valley. With this strategic change in the transportation, the need of the hour is to ponder on the ways and means by which this new mode of transportation could be used optimally to get the maximum benefits especially on account of fortifying the border belts in the Kashmir region.
