Jammu, April 24: In close coordination with cherry fruit growers in Jammu & Kashmir, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway has successfully booked requisitions for 28 parcel vans for the transportation of cherries to Bandra Terminus during the 2026 season.
The official spokesperson of the Division, while talking to Kashmir Convener said, “Each parcel van has a capacity of 23 tons. Currently, the processing of these requisitions for cherries is underway. This represents an increase of approximately 100% compared to the previous season. The users have duly registered all 28 requisitions. These consignments for Bandra Terminus are primarily intended for the cherry season, spanning from May 25 to July 10, for loading from Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra.”
Elaborating on the details of this unique initiative, he further said that there are seven requisitions for consignments to be loaded from Jammu to Bandra Terminus, while 21 requisitions are for consignments to be loaded from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Bandra Terminus.
“It is noteworthy that in 2025, approximately 14 parcel vans carrying cherries were transported from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Bandra Terminus via Train No. 12472. This, in itself, marked a historic initiative,” he added.
This initiative by Indian Railways underscores its commitment to providing the horticulturists of Kashmir with a reliable and efficient means to safely and timely transport their perishable produce to distant markets.
Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, stated, “The year 2026 is set to be another historic year for the Jammu Division. Our continuous dialogue and coordination with fruit growers in Kashmir are yielding consistently successful results. We have registered 28 indents for Bandra Terminus for the current cherry season—a figure that represents a remarkable increase compared to last year.”
He further said, “Our primary objective was to provide the horticulturists of Kashmir with a safe and rapid mode of transport, free from the uncertainties associated with road travel. This service will run directly from Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Bandra Terminus. The Railways is committed not only to reducing freight costs but also to ensuring that perishable fruits, such as cherries, reach their destination within 30–33 hours while retaining their absolute freshness. This initiative is poised to prove to be a milestone in the economic progress of the farmers in the Valley.”
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