Jammu and Kashmir’s first cherry parcel van of the season arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon, carrying around 12 tonnes of premium-quality cherries through Indian Railways’ fast parcel service.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways, around 966 boxes of cherries were loaded into the parcel van at Jammu on 24 May.
The van was attached to train number 19028, the Jammu Tawi-Bandra Terminus Vivek Express, which departed from Jammu at 5:45 am on 25 May.
With the Railways estimating a transit time of around 33 hours, the cherry parcel van reached Bandra Terminus in Mumbai on 26 May. The fast movement was aimed at preserving the freshness and quality of the delicate fruit during transit.
The consignment marked the first cherry special parcel van of the current season from Jammu and Kashmir to Mumbai.
The Railways said the move is part of its effort to connect the Union Territory’s horticulture produce with major markets across the country in a faster and more reliable manner.
Cherry is a highly perishable fruit, and timely transportation is crucial for maintaining its quality and market value.
Faster rail movement is expected to help growers and fruit traders send fresh produce to distant markets such as Mumbai while reducing dependence on slower logistics channels.
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Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal, said Indian Railways is committed to helping Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture growers access better prices and wider national markets.
“Indian Railways is committed to giving Jammu and Kashmir’s growers the right price and a nationwide market for their hard work. Cherry is a very delicate fruit, which has to be delivered to the market within hours. Our team has prepared special logistics for this. We have sufficient parcel vans and resources available to meet every demand of traders this season,” Singhal said, according to the statement.
The Ministry said the first seasonal consignment has generated strong interest among farmers and traders. So far, a total of 28 VP indents have been received for cherry transportation from Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra stations.
Apart from these 28 special VP requests, the Railways said the facility of SLR coaches available in regular trains on the route will also continue.
This will allow small and medium traders to send smaller consignments in a safe and cost-effective manner.
Singhal further said that 18 tonnes of cherries had already been sent to Mumbai earlier through available rail transport arrangements.
The Railways said the fast, safe and time-bound parcel service will help reduce transportation time and support better returns for Jammu and Kashmir’s fruit growers by improving access to distant markets.
