Jammu Railway Division transports 23 exotic bulls from Bengaluru to Kashmir

Jammu, Feb 8: In another first to its credit in the field of freight transportation, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway transported 23 exotic breed bulls from Bengaluru to Jammu and Kashmir.

Of these 23 high-quality bulls, 6 were unloaded at Bari Brahmana goods shed in Jammu division and the remaining 17 at Budgam goods shed in Kashmir division.

The initiative is part of the breeding development programme of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Departments, facilitated by the railways.

Describing the transportation of the first consignment of exotic breed bulls from Bengaluru (Karnataka) to Kashmir thus facilitating the availability of those animals there, as another historic feat of Jammu (Railway) Division, Public Relations Inspector, Jammu Railway Division, Raghvender Singh said, “The Jammu Division is achieving historic milestones with new advancements in the field of freight transportation. Freight trains, previously used only for transporting goods such as automobiles, apples, steel, and grains, are now being utilised for livestock transport through parcel vans as part of a special initiative. These valuable animals were safely transported to Kashmir over a long distance via railway parcel vans.”

He stated that the historic transportation was not only significant from a logistics perspective but would also prove to be a game-changer for Kashmir’s dairy economy.

Regarding this special livestock consignment, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Jammu, Uchit Singhal, stated, “The arrival of these high-quality foreign bulls will improve the local breeds of cattle in Kashmir, leading to a significant increase in milk production capacity. Transportation by rail has not only reduced costs compared to road transport but has also ensured safe and timely delivery even in adverse weather conditions.”

He pointed out that it was the first time that livestock was transported over such a long distance (Bengaluru to Kashmir) via parcel vans.

“The parcel train, after departing from Bengaluru, traversed various states of the country and reached Budgam via the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). During the journey, strict standards of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and special chambers were used for the welfare of the animals, ensuring that the bulls did not suffer any physical harm or stress,” Singhal shared.

Asserting that the initiative would increase the income of dairy farmers in Kashmir and usher in a new era of the ‘White revolution’ in the region, Singhal said, “This success demonstrates that Kashmir is now fully connected to the national freight network, which will facilitate the trade of other livestock and agricultural products in the future. This initiative is a major step towards a ‘Developed India’ and a self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir.”