By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has become the country’s first automobile manufacturer to transport vehicles to the Kashmir Valley using Indian Railways. The company announced the arrival of its inaugural rail shipment at the new Anantnag terminal on Friday (October 3, 2025).
The first consignment, which comprised over 100 Maruti Suzuki models including the Brezza, Dzire, WagonR, and S-Presso, departed from the firm’s recently inaugurated Manesar in-plant railway siding. Covering more than 850 kilometers, the train’s route to Anantnag included a crossing over the world’s highest railway arch bridge built over the Chenab river.
The bridge, a key element of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, was commissioned earlier this year and is expected to enhance connectivity as well as logistics efficiency in the region.
Emphasizing the importance of rail transport on the economy and lives, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology said, “In recent times, apples from the valley have been transported using the Jammu & Kashmir rail link. Now, Maruti Suzuki cars will be transported to Kashmir valley by rail. Jammu – Srinagar railway line is a game changer for the people of Jammu & Kashmir.”
Speaking on this association, Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “Railway dispatches are central to our logistics strategy. We are grateful to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, under whose leadership, transformative infrastructure projects have come up across the country. The world’s highest railway arch bridge over Chenab river is one such landmark, enabling seamless and efficient connectivity to Kashmir valley and allowing Maruti Suzuki to better serve customers in the region.”
