Kashmir’s supply chain gets a boost as rail delivers first car consignment

12000 tons of apples have been transported via rail so far. Srinagar, Oct 03: In a major boost for the automobile sector in Jammu and Kashmir, the Valley on Friday received its first dedicated automobile rake from the Jammu Division of Northern Railway, officials said. The inaugural train carrying 116 vehicles manufactured at Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s Manesar plant in Haryana arrived at the Anantnag Goods Shed in south Kashmir on Friday morning. The consignment marks the first-ever direct transportation of passenger vehicles to Kashmir by rail, bypassing the lengthy and often disrupted Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Maruti Suzuki India Limited confirmed it was the first automobile company in the country to dispatch vehicles to Kashmir using Indian Railways’ freight services. “The maiden train carrying over 100 Maruti Suzuki vehicles, including models like Brezza, Dzire, WagonR, and S-Presso, departed from the recently inaugurated in-plant railway siding of the company at Manesar,” a company spokesperson said. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw termed the development a milestone in Jammu and Kashmir’s connectivity. “The Jammu-Srinagar railway line is a game-changer for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In recent times, apples from the Valley have been transported by train. Now, Maruti Suzuki cars will also reach the Kashmir Valley by rail,” he said. Maruti Suzuki’s Managing Director and CEO, Hisashi Takeuchi, said the company’s logistics strategy was aligned with the government’s PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. He underlined the significance of the Chenab bridge, the world’s highest railway arch, which has enabled seamless integration of Kashmir with the national rail network. “This connectivity allows Maruti Suzuki to better serve customers in the Valley. The company currently operates two in-plant railway sidings at Manesar, Haryana, and Gujarat, which enable direct movement of vehicles to different parts of the country,” Takeuchi said. Local automobile dealers in the Valley welcomed the development, noting that it would ease transportation and reduce wear and tear on vehicles. Irfan Ahmad Narwaroo, Managing Director of Jamkash Vehicleades (Kashmir) Pvt Ltd, the largest Maruti dealership in the region, said that earlier, cars were driven from Jammu to Kashmir along the highway. “By the time customers received them, they had already clocked around 300 km. Now, the vehicles will arrive fresh, directly from the manufacturing plant,” he said Narwaroo said the direct rail dispatches will also cut down delivery delays. “Availability will not be an issue now. Customers will get vehicles on time, without the uncertainties of road closures,” he added. Officials said the new arrangement would significantly improve supply chain efficiency in Kashmir and strengthen the role of railways in the region’s economic activities. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu Division, Uchit Singhal said the first 25-vehicle NMGHS rake carrying vehicles from Maruti Suzuki departed from Manesar Gati Shakti Terminal, Delhi Division, on October 1, 2025, bound for Anantnag Goods Shed in the Kashmir Valley. “It carried over 116 Maruti Suzuki passenger vehicles, including the Brezza, Dzire, Wagon R, and S-Presso. The train covered a distance of 850 kilometers in 45 hours and arrived at the newly opened Anantnag Railway Terminal in Jammu and Kashmir at 11:00 am on October 3, 2025. The total fare generated was approximately ₹9 lakh in revenue,” he said. Singhal, said that this marks a new chapter in the history of automobile transportation logistics in Jammu and Kashmir. “ Other automobile companies will also join the project, benefiting both the railways and the automobile companies,” he said. Uchit Singhal further explained that rail transport is safer because vehicles are transported in enclosed compartments, protecting them from theft, weather conditions, and road damage. Rail transport also reduces vehicle wear and tear compared to road travel, he said. Recalling recent achievements, Singhal said since the opening of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, the following commodities have been transported from the Kashmir Valley. “So far, Apples: 12,400.9 tons, Cement 48,387 tons, Steel frames 1,341 tons, Plastic goods: 716.1 tons have been transported through cargo rail services,” he added.