Army's winter stocking train returns with 753 ton Kashmiri apples

Srinagar, Sep 16: A freight train that marked a milestone in Army logistics by carrying nearly 753 metric tonnes of advance winter stocking material into Kashmir has returned carrying Kashmiri apples, signalling a new phase of dual-use logistics on the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL).

The special Army freight service ran between BD Bari near Samba and Anantnag from September 12 to 13, transporting supplies for winter preparedness of troops deployed across Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said this was the first time that stocking operations, earlier reliant on road convoys vulnerable to snow and landslides, were conducted through the newly inaugurated 272-km USBRL, giving the Army all-weather reach into the Valley and onwards to Kargil and Ladakh.

On its return journey, the rake was loaded with apple consignments for markets in mainland India. Army officers described this as a unique demonstration of “military–civil fusion” in logistics, where operational preparedness dovetails with economic opportunity for farmers.

“This is more than just a logistics milestone,” a defence spokesperson said. “The return load of Kashmiri apples strengthens local livelihoods by giving farmers an uninterrupted supply line to outside markets.” Farmers in Kashmir, long hit by losses during highway closures caused by landslides and floods, said they expected the new freight option to cut costs, reduce spoilage, and improve incomes.

The development comes alongside a parallel civilian initiative, where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first dedicated parcel train from Budgam to New Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar on Monday. The eight-parcel van train, with a capacity of 180 tonnes, will run daily carrying 23 to 24 tonnes of perishable goods, mainly apples, to northern markets.Local events calendar

Sinha said the initiative would “boost the agricultural economy of the region” and provide “a cheaper, faster and more reliable mode of transportation” for farmers. The train departs Budgam at 6.15 am, halts at Bari Brahmana in Jammu in the afternoon, and reaches Delhi early next morning. Officials said a similar service will be launched from Anantnag as well.

Divisional railway manager Vivek Kumar called it “a historic achievement,” while senior commercial manager Uchit Singhal said it would “revolutionise freight transportation” in the Valley.

The dual developments — the Army’s freight train carrying apples on its return leg and the daily parcel train service — reflect the economic potential unlocked by the Rs 43,780 crore USBRL project inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June. Featuring 36 tunnels, 943 bridges, and the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab, the line has created uninterrupted rail connectivity into the Himalayan heartland.

For the Army, it secures winter stocking in one of the world’s most challenging terrains. For Kashmir’s farmers, it opens new avenues of prosperity by ensuring that apples, the Valley’s signature crop, travel beyond the mountains without the uncertainties of the highway.