JAMMU: In a first for the Jammu Railway Division, cement has been loaded and transported by rail from one station to another within Jammu and Kashmir, marking a significant milestone in the division’s internal freight operations.
The first consignment was dispatched on Monday from Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua railway station to Anantnag goods shed, following sustained efforts by the Business Development Unit (BDU) of Jammu Division, officials said.
Around 66 tonnes of cement, comprising nearly 1,320 bags, were loaded into one BCN wagon. The consignment was booked by Ganpati Cement, Kathua.
Railway officials said this was the first instance of a new commodity traffic such as cement being moved internally within the Jammu Division. Earlier, cement consignments destined for the Kashmir Valley were transported by road.
The new origin-destination freight link is expected to provide a more economical, safe and faster mode of transporting construction material to the Kashmir Valley, while also increasing railway freight revenue and promoting environment-friendly transportation.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal described the development as a new milestone in rail freight transportation in Jammu and Kashmir. He said cement had earlier been received only as inward traffic at major railway complexes, including Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Station, Kathua and Anantnag.
“As a result of the continuous efforts and robust logistics of Jammu Division, for the first time, outward loading of cement has been successfully started from here,” Singhal said.
He said the development reflected growing confidence among the industrial fraternity of Jammu and Kashmir in the railway network and would provide fresh impetus to economic activity in the region.
Singhal added that Jammu Division would continue efforts to connect more traders and organisations with the Railways, making rail transport a more economical, reliable and eco-friendly option for the trading community.
