SRINAGAR, Mudasir Maqbool (KIMS) — With the apple harvesting season approaching, the Jammu and Kashmir Fruits and Vegetables Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA) has urged the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister to ensure round-the-clock, uninterrupted movement on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) to safeguard the interests of apple growers and the wider horticulture sector.
JKPICCA President Bashir Ahmad Naik said horticulture remains one of the main pillars of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, providing livelihood and employment to lakhs of families.
He cautioned that repeated disruptions on NH-44 due to heavy rainfall, landslides and other weather-related challenges could inflict serious financial losses on growers, traders, transporters and cold-chain operators.
Naik called for advance positioning of heavy machinery, excavators, loaders, additional manpower and specialised emergency response teams at vulnerable stretches of the highway, particularly in landslide-prone areas, so that any obstruction can be removed promptly and traffic restored without unnecessary delays.
He said the apple crop is the outcome of a full year of hard work, investment and careful cultivation by growers.
“Even a short delay in transportation,” he added, “can affect the quality and shelf life of the produce, depress market prices and ultimately reduce growers’ earnings.”
The JKPICCA president specifically sought uninterrupted, round-the-clock movement of vehicles carrying apples and other perishable horticultural produce during the peak harvesting period.
He also called for priority passage for fruit-laden trucks, enabling consignments to reach major markets across the country in the shortest possible time.
Naik further urged the Traffic Police, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Public Works Department (PWD) and civil administration to work in close coordination and maintain 24-hour surveillance of vulnerable stretches throughout the harvesting season.
He expressed hope that the government would take timely and proactive measures to ensure NH-44 remains operational and the movement of horticultural produce is not unnecessarily hampered.
“A smooth and reliable NH-44 is critical for protecting the hard-earned income of our growers. Ensuring timely movement of fruit is not merely a transport issue; it is essential for safeguarding the livelihoods of lakhs of families dependent on horticulture,” Naik said. — (KIMS)