SRINAGAR: The prolonged closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, the only road link connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country, has sparked widespread unrest among fruit growers and traders, who claim to have suffered losses exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. As the crisis escalates, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has spoken to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and urged the Centre to hand over control of the highway to the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
“Spoke to Union Minister @MORTHIndia @nitin_gadkari Sb regarding the situation along NH-44 and the lack of connectivity with the rest of the country along this vital link,” Omar posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Calling the frustration of fruit growers “understandable”, he said, “They have been very patient for the first few days, but watching their hard work rot because @nhidcl is unable to stabilise the highway, their patience has worn thin, and that is totally understandable. Some concrete steps will be taken within the next 24 hours to address this problem, but I will wait for that to happen before saying more about the proposed plan of action.”
The 270-km-long highway was closed for traffic on 25 August due to extensive damage caused by heavy rainfall. While light motor vehicles have now been allowed, the movement of trucks remains restricted.
On Monday, all fruit mandis in Kashmir, including Asia’s second-largest in Sopore, remained closed for the second consecutive day in protest against the continued highway closure.
Fruit growers staged protests across the Valley, expressing deep anguish over rotting produce and halted supplies. “Apple is a perishable fruit and its timely delivery is critical. Apples are rotting in trucks, mandis and godowns, we are staring at a bleak future,” said one protesting grower.
The Kashmir Valley produces between 20 to 25 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually.
In response to the growing crisis, CM Omar Abdullah said the highway falls under the jurisdiction of the Government of India. “If the Centre cannot maintain it, they should hand it over to the J&K government. I’ll deploy a team of engineers who are already available. Enough is enough. We’ve been patient as they kept assuring us of restoration, but nothing has happened,” he said.
The issue was also raised with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who recently flagged off the first parcel train from Budgam to Adarsh Nagar, New Delhi. While growers welcomed the initiative, they said the train can only carry a small fraction of the produce and road transport remains vital.
Former minister and senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar posted on X: “Kashmir is in an unprecedented crisis for this time of year. NHW blockade is nothing new for winters, but after billions spent on connectivity, this is now a year-round issue. Supplies are drying up, fruit is rotting, it’s scandalous.”
PDP leader Iltija Mufti, daughter of former CM Mehbooba Mufti, went a step further, alleging that Kashmir’s apple industry is being “deliberately destroyed”.
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah himself has come under fire for failing to ensure restoration of the highway. Peoples Conference chairman and MLA Sajad Lone said, “The apples meant for the rest of the country are rotting. Massive losses. Bad weather is not the government’s fault, but sitting like a mute spectator and doing nothing is criminal.”
He added, “My humble advice to CM sahib: stop wandering aimlessly across the country. Sit with your officers and stakeholders and work out a strategy.”
