Railways take heat off Kashmir apple transport with cold storage racks

Jammu, Sep 22: In a fresh initiative to support the apple industry in Kashmir, Jammu Railway Division on Monday procured crates meant for the storage of apples (from cold storage) so as to ferry them safely across the country.

Procurement was made, loaded in a Bogie Covered Wagon (BCN) rake from Bari Brahmana Railway Station for Anantnag.

Besides, puff panels - insulated steel panels- were also unloaded at Anantnag on Monday.

“Today in another initiative to support the apple industry, Jammu Railways Division got the crates or racks meant for storage of apples in cold storage (Lassipora, Pulwama) loaded in BCN (type of freight wagon fitted with air brakes) rake from Bari Brahmana railway Station for Anantnag,” Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) Jammu Railway Division, Uchit Singhal shared.

He informed that a total of 21 wagons were supplied at Bari Brahmana for loading the same.

“Each wagon accommodated almost 76 such containers weighing 40 kg each. In another first, the puff panels - insulated steel panels - were also unloaded at Anantnag. Puff panels are meant for insulation and energy efficiency, leading to temperature-controlled apple storage houses,” Singhal said.

Notably, the parcel trains, being operated by the Jammu Railway Division of the Northern Railway, since September 11, 2025, have transported over 6500 tonnes of apples from Kashmir to other parts of the country in the past 12 days.

On September 20, Singhal had stated that the Railways would soon commence the operation of parcel train services with parcel rakes from the Baramulla Railway Station terminal as well.

The Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) parcel train service, recently launched in the Kashmir Valley, according to Singhal, is successfully facilitating the transportation of apples.

In a separate development, Jammu Railway Division announced the cancellation of four trains from Monday, September 22, 2025, for track maintenance.

“In the wake of track maintenance requirements for passenger safety, these train services between Baramulla to Banihal, Sangaldan will remain cancelled from September 22 to 30, 2025,” Singhal said.

Cancelled trains will include 74626 BRML-BAHL; 74615 BAHL-BRML; 64652 BRML-SGDN and 64651 SGDN-BRML.