Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Sept 15: With the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway shut for over two weeks, fruit mandis across Kashmir today halted business for two days in protest against the Government’s “inaction.”
Traders, growers, and transporters gathered at major fruit mandis in Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag, and Pulwama, staging protests and urging immediate action.
They said they are suffering huge losses as their produce continues to rot in trucks, orchards, and mandis due to the prolonged closure of the highway.
Traders particularly demanded a continuous one-way, two-day movement of fruit-laden trucks from Srinagar to clear the stranded vehicles and facilitate fresh dispatches.
Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, speaking to ‘Excelsior’ at Parimpora fruit mandi in Srinagar, said the situation had pushed the sector to the brink.
“For the last 20 days, trucks are stranded at Qazigund. The fruit-laden trucks, which number in thousands, must be allowed to move forward. This is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. If this continues, the economy will take a serious hit,” he said.
He added that “just two kilometres of damaged road stretch” were blocking the movement of trucks, leading to massive losses, with authorities unmoved.
“Why isn’t it being addressed? This is the peak season. During these days, 1,500 trucks go out daily. If this situation continues, the entire sector will collapse. Losses have already crossed Rs 1,000 crore,” Bashir said.
Protesters said the prolonged closure of the road has left thousands of fruit-laden trucks stranded for over two weeks, with drivers also suffering.
At Jablipora fruit mandi in Anantnag, trader Azhar Ahmad Tak said the authorities had failed to act and that it was time to hand the road over to the Army for speedy restoration.
“For the last 20 days, we have been urging the Government to restore the highway. A bridge was constructed in Jammu by the Army in just 24 hours. If they cannot fix it, better hand it over to the Army,” he said.
Tak said the alternate arrangements were inadequate as he pointed to the losses the sector is facing.
“The train service is welcome but not a solution. A 200-metre track is damaged and they cannot repair it. Growers, traders, and transporters are devastated; we seek immediate restoration of the NH,” he added.
He urged the LG and CM to intervene immediately, noting that drivers had twice returned with rotten produce during this period-a sight that, he said, “breaks the heart.”
In Sopore fruit mandi, trader and mandi’s President Fayaz Ahmad Malik said halting the operations was a last resort. He warned that if the authorities fail to restore the road soon, they will be forced to take to the streets.
“This sector provides livelihood to lakhs of people but it is breathing its last. The Centre must intervene,” Malik said.
He criticised the silence of elected representatives, stressing that they could have protested and pressurised the authorities.
“We have been left to fend for ourselves. The Army must be called in-they can restore the highway in no time,” he said.
He noted that trucks are being allowed from the other side carrying cement and other material, “but nothing is allowed from this side.”
In Pulwama, a group of growers said the Government needs to act, otherwise they will be forced to take matters into their own hands.
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