First freight train reaches Anantnag from Punjab, set to boost Kashmir industry

First freight train reaches Anantnag from Punjab. It is set to boost Kashmir horticulture and other sectors. In a landmark development for Kashmir’s trade and logistics sector, the first ever freight train reached Anantnag district in south Kashmir from Rupnagar, Punjab marking a major milestone in integrating the valley with India’s national freight network. The inaugural train, carrying 21 BCN wagons of cement completed its nearly 600-kilometre journey in under 18 hours arriving at the newly commissioned Anantnag Goods Shed, officials confirmed. “This is just a logistical achievement but a powerful symbol of progress and integration paving the way for a more connected and prosperous Kashmir,” said Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railways.  The arrival of the freight train is being widely hailed by the Valley’s business community, particularly the horticulture sector, which has long relied on the