Srinagar: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Ansul Garg on Monday said that more than one lakh thirty-seven thousand metric tons of fruit have been dispatched from the Valley in recent days through the Mughal Road, Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, and the railway parcel service.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Garg said that the dispatches have been carried out as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) followed for the past ten days under the directions of the Chief Secretary. He noted that every day around 1,500 to 2,000 fresh fruit trucks accumulate in the Valley and are being systematically sent to Jammu with the help of Traffic Police.
“The movement of trucks has now improved significantly. Earlier, it was around 1,500, but today nearly 4,000 trucks are being seen on the highways. Around 2,000 trucks from Qazigund alone left for Jammu today,” Garg said.
He added that fruit evacuation has been given top priority and is being facilitated both via NH44 and the Mughal Road. In addition, consignments are being dispatched through trains directly to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi. He said that fruit from North Kashmir is also being evacuated on a daily basis.
Responding to concerns over fuel availability, the Divisional Commissioner as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust said there is no scarcity of supplies. “There is fuel stock available for a week and replenishment is taking place regularly. People should not believe in rumours. There is sufficient stock, and the administration is closely monitoring the situation,” he clarified.
Garg said the weather has remained conducive for restoration works and buffer stocks are expected to increase in the coming days. He emphasised that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are personally monitoring and reviewing highway restoration and fruit evacuation efforts.
The Divisional Commissioner also thanked locals for their cooperation, saying that public support enabled the administration to mitigate hardships and streamline operations during the recent disruption. [KNT]
