By Yusuf Jameel

Copyright deccanchronicle

SRINAGAR: Fruit mandis across Kashmir shut down completely on Monday to protest the government’s failure to ensure smooth passage for fruit-laden trucks on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH44). Growers, facing massive losses as perishable fruit rots in stranded trucks, warned of a Valley-wide strike if the 247-km highway is not fully restored within 48 hours.At Sopore’s Fruit Mandi, Asia’s second-largest, emotional scenes unfolded as tearful growers pleaded for the survival of their industry. Orchardists broke down, lamenting that their year’s labour was spoiling while the government remained unresponsive.Fayaz Ahmed Malik, president of the Sopore Fruit Mandi Association, accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of neglecting the crisis, stating, “If the Chief Minister can’t ensure fruit trucks move, he should resign.” Malik described the dire situation, stating that thousands of fruit-laden trucks have been stuck on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway for days, leading to estimated losses of ₹1,000–₹1,200 crore. “The perishable nature of the fruit means each hour of delay inflicts irreparable harm on the livelihoods of thousands of growers,” he said.He criticised the lack of support from MLAs and alleged that while trucks carrying iron and other goods were allowed passage, fruit trucks were deliberately delayed.The shutdown, observed across mandis in Sopore, Handwara, Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, and beyond, followed a two-day protest call on September 14 and 15. The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union reported hundreds of stranded trucks, causing “massive damages” to growers.Opposition leaders slammed the government’s inaction. Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone, in a scathing ‘X’ post, described the government’s silence as “criminal,” urging Abdullah to devise a strategy to clear the highway. He highlighted the rotting apples and called for urgent remedial measures.Similarly, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric, expressed anguish over the growers’ plight, urging authorities to prioritize truck movement to prevent further losses and mental agony. He said, “Deeply pained by the plight of the protesting fruit growers and orchardists, the backbone of Kashmir’s economy sustaining thousands of families, as fruit-laden trucks rot for days on the highway with no right to passage. The Government’s apathy to their plight, pushing their year’s hard work to ruin, is shameful. I urge the authorities to immediately ensure unhindered passage of trucks on priority, to prevent further losses to them and the mental agony it’s causing them.”In response, Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar visited the highway to assess bottlenecks, particularly a 300-meter muddy stretch between Tharad and Balli Nallah in Udhampur district, caused by a collapsed mountain and heavy rains.Dar, after discussions with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and IGP Traffic, requested two days of one-way traffic from Srinagar to Jammu to clear stranded trucks. He planned meetings in Ramban and Udhampur to address the crisis.Lt. Governor Sinha, speaking at Budgam Railway Station after launching a parcel train service for transporting 23–24 tonnes of apples to Delhi, assured that fruit trucks would be cleared on priority and the highway restored by Tuesday. He also promised to explore compensation for affected growers.The train service, supported by Indian Railways, aims to reduce transport costs and boost Kashmir’s economy.Sinha wrote on ‘X’, “Flagged off the first dedicated Parcel Train from Budgam to Adarsh Nagar Delhi. This new freight train service is a big step for the apple growers of the Union Territory to transport their produce to different parts of the country.”He also said, “Grateful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for ushering a new era of trade & business for apple growers & traders of Valley. It’ll significantly reduce transit time & increase income opportunities for thousands of farmers & boost agricultural economy of the region.”The highway crisis stems from a narrow, uneven stretch built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) after debris buried the original road. Growers criticised NHAI for failing to widen or level it, causing vehicles to get stuck.Officials noted that only 700–1,000 vehicles, including 1,000 apple trucks, can pass daily compared to the usual 10,000, with 2,500 diverted via Mughal Road (an alternate road link between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region), leading to a backlog of 6,000 vehicles daily.Amid concerns over fuel shortages, Kashmir’s Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg assured that LPG and diesel stocks are sufficient, with petrol shortages expected to be resolved within two days. He confirmed ongoing restoration work and urged calm to avoid panic at fuel stations.Meanwhile, Chief Minister Abdullah voiced strong dissatisfaction with the prolonged closure of the highway, criticising the Central government for its failure to restore it. Speaking to …