Umaisar Gull Ganie
Jammu, Dec 20: Marking a major boost to food security and logistics in Kashmir, the first-ever food grain freight train of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) is set to reach the Anantnag Goods Terminal on Sunday.
The moved is stated to ensure uninterrupted supplies to far-flung areas of the Valley.
Officials said that the train, dispatched from Ajitwal Railway Station in Firozpur Division, is carrying around 1,384 tonnes of food grains loaded in 21 Bogie covered wagons. The Anantnag Goods Terminal, inaugurated on August 9 this year under the Jammu Division of Northern Railway, has already handled cement rakes and other industrial and mixed goods.
The arrival of the first food grain rake marks another milestone in integrating Kashmir with the national freight network.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu Division, Uchit Singhal said the move would ensure an uninterrupted and affordable supply of food grains, especially to remote areas of the Valley.
“Transportation of food grains through railways will be faster and cheaper, directly benefiting farmers and consumers,” he said.
He said that the initiative will strengthen local markets, generate employment, and boost the agricultural economy. “This is a historic achievement and a major step towards meeting the food grain requirements of the Kashmir Valley. It reflects our commitment to railway modernization and regional development,” Singhal said.
He further said that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the railways are planning to expand this service in the future and run more such trains to other parts of Kashmir, which will revolutionize logistics and the supply chain across the Union Territory.
