Srinagar/New Delhi: For the first time, a full railway rake carrying foodgrains has reached the Kashmir Valley, marking a significant step in bulk freight movement after the Kashmir rail line became fully operational last year.
A 42-wagon train loaded with around 2,600 tonnes of rice arrived at the Anantnag goods terminal from Sangrur in Punjab on Thursday, officials said.
Northern Railways’ Chief Public Relations Officer Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said unloading of the consignment was delayed due to snowfall but was completed on Saturday.
Upadhyay said the quantity transported by the train was equivalent to nearly 100 truckloads of rice.
He added that the Railways plans to expand freight movement to the Valley beyond cement and foodgrains, with a focus on diversifying commodities carried through the rail network.
Earlier, in December 2025, a smaller foodgrain freight train with 21 wagons carrying 1,384 tonnes had reached Anantnag, marking the first bulk rail-based supply of foodgrains to Kashmir.
Officials said the latest movement was made possible through coordination between the Railways, the Food Corporation of India and the local administration.
The consignment was loaded at Sangrur on January 21 and reached Anantnag in less than 24 hours.Freight operations to Kashmir began in August 2025 with the transport of cement following the completion of the 272-km Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link.
The project became fully operational in June 2025, connecting the Valley to the national rail network and providing an all-weather alternative to road transport.
