Stranded apple-laden trucks on NH cleared, fruit mandis in Kashmir back in business

SSP, traffic national highway, Shabir Ahmad Malik, who was blamed by fruit growers for stranded trucks was transferred by the home department this morning

\After the national highway was cleared of stranded apple-laden trucks, the fruit mandis across Kashmir started their business again.

Stranded trucks on the Jammu & Kashmir National highway which was closed due to shooting stones in Ramban area, in Jammu, Wednesday. (PTI)

The traders had closed mandis after thousands of trucks got stranded on the national highway. It caused a massive furore among the growers and people of Kashmir, including leaders of political parties. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti threatened to block the national highway.

Meanwhile, SSP (traffic) Ramban, Shabir Malik, whom many growers blamed for creating problems for the passage of trucks, was shifted and attached to the police headquarters as per government communication. Mohita Sharma, SP Ramban, has been asked to hold an additional charge of the SSP traffic national highway.

Fruit Mandi Sopore, President Fayaz Ahmad Malik, said that they opened mandis last night itself. “After the road was cleared the mandis opened. We dispatched 300 trucks from our mandi and 1500 from entire Kashmir.”

He hoped that from now onwards the growers won’t face any hindrance on the national highway, especially during peak season.

“For growers, these three months are very crucial for the trade. We hope the situation on the highway will be alright.”

IG (traffic) Vikramjeet Singh also confirmed that the stranded traffic has been cleared. “In this month more than 30,000 fruit trucks have been dispatched to various fruit mandis from Kashmir.”