Thousands Of Tonnes Of Apples Rot In Trucks Stranded On Srinagar-Jammu Highway
As thousands of tons of apple rot in trucks stranded along the Srinagar-Jammu National highway, distressed farmers launched protests and shut fruit markets across Jammu and Kashmir.
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- From: India News Bull
Apple farmers across Jammu and Kashmir have initiated protests and closed fruit markets as thousands of tonnes of apples deteriorate in trucks stranded along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
The highway sustained significant damage, particularly near Udhampur, following intense rainfall and cloudbursts last month. Despite restoration attempts on this critical transportation route, full operation hasn't been achieved. This has resulted in essential supply shortages and major disruptions to the movement of horticultural products.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, after discussions with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, announced that definitive actions would be implemented within 24 hours to resolve the issue. Abdullah also suggested that the state government could take over management of the road if the Centre cannot restore functionality.
Kashmir's rural economy relies heavily on horticulture, with the region producing approximately 80 percent of India's apple supply. The current transportation crisis has severely impacted fruit distribution networks nationwide. Angry apple growers have organized demonstrations throughout Kashmir, criticizing government inaction and failure to anticipate problems following the road closure.
The all-weather four-lane Srinagar-Jammu highway construction has consumed thousands of crores of rupees. While initially reducing travel time, recent severe weather has revealed the road's vulnerability. Critics argue that the highway expansion and construction proceeded without adequate risk assessment or disaster management planning in this geologically unstable area.