644 tonnes of cherries to be transported from J&K to Mumbai

Jammu, Apr 23: In yet another revolutionary achievement of Jammu Railway Division, aiming at benefitting horticulturists of Jammu and Kashmir, 644 tonnes of cherries will be transported from J&K to Mumbai.

“Establishing close coordination with cherry fruit growers in J&K, 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. Each parcel van has a capacity of 23 tonnes. Currently, the processing of these parcel van requisitions for cherries is underway,” said Raghvender Singh, Public Relations Inspector, Jammu Railway Division.

According to Singh, the requisitions represent an increase of approximately 100 percent compared to the previous season.

All 28 requisitions have been duly registered by the users. These requisitions for Bandra Terminus are primarily intended for the cherry season, spanning from May 25 to July 10, for consignments originating from Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Stations.

Elaborating about the unique initiative, Singh said, “There are 7 requisitions for consignments to be loaded from Jammu to Bandra Terminus while 21 requisitions for consignments will be loaded from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Station for same destination (Bandra Terminus).”

In the year 2025, approximately 14 parcel vans of cherries were transported from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station to Bandra Terminus via train number 12472, marking a historic initiative.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Jammu Railway Division, UchitSinghal, said, “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 said that the 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 a milestone in the economic progress of the farmers in the Valley,” Singhal said.

He said that the initiative by Indian Railways underscored 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.