Taking a cue from last year's bad experience when the fruit growers had to face hardship due to poor traffic management for transporting the Apple Produce to the rest of the country, the administration should ensure proper traffic and transportation plan and other arrangements well before the start of apple export in the coming August month.
The way the LG's administration is taking care of convoys of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, it is imperative for the dispensation to emulate the traffic plan for the fruit laden trucks which will soon embark on their voyages from Kashmir to different parts of the country as apple production is also one of the mainstays of J&K's economy and last year's quandary was the worst example of handling of traffic on NH44, as never in the past such a chaos and confusion prevailed on this vital highway despite it being single lane and marred with various vagaries of weather every year.
Several times in the year 2022, the Kashmiri fruit traders alleged mismanagement of traffic along arterial Srinagar- Jammu highway as hundreds of trucks were allegedly halted at various places hitting hard the fruit business as this load is perishable and every hour counts. Apple traders incurred massive losses owing to the hurdles faced along the 300 km long highway that takes the valley-wide produce to its markets outside the region. Owing to mess, which even led to protests and demonstrations across the UT, it is advisable that the administration should ensure early preparations this season whether making use of Mughal Road or conceiving a proper schedule for the trucks to pass the susceptible stretches so that travel time is saved and the fruit reaches its destinations well before time.
This kind of planning and execution in letter and spirit is the key to support the flourishing business of apples or else things will remain hopeless as the case last year, when the government was seen struggling to provide convenient passage to fruit laden trucks leading to colossal losses as the high quality fruit meant for distant places had to be sold in Jammu and nearby stations on prices akin to that of peanuts as it was about to rot due to inordinate delays caused by lethargy of government agencies manning the highway traffic.
