Traders protest highway closure; got Gadkari’s assurance on road opening, says Omar

Chief minister says that if the central government can’t manage the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, it should hand the same over to the UT government

Fruit mandis across the Kashmir valley observed a shutdown against the government’s “failure” to ensure a smooth passage to fruit-laden trucks, thousands of which have been stranded on the dilapidated Srinagar-Jammu national highway. People associated with fruit businesses staged the protests in Sopore town of Baramulla district and Handwara area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir. Chief minister Omar Abdullah said he had talked to Union minister Nitin Gadkari who reportedly assured him that the issue would be resolved within 24 hours.

Stacks of apple boxes lying at the fruit market that remains shut as growers protest against the highway closure. (PTI)

The highway has been in a dismal condition at various stretches after the floods, especially in Udhampur where the damage to a 250 to 300 metre stretch has resulted in frequent disruption of traffic. Protesters said the fruit season is on peak and everyday 1,500 to 2,000 trucks are dispatched to various states of the country. They said the traffic disruption caused loss of ₹500 to 700 crore to growers and truckers.

Fayaz Ahmad Malik, president of Asia’s second largest fruit mandi in Sopore, accused the government of not doing enough.

Omar Abdullah, while talking to mediapersons, said, “The highway is not with me. It is with the central government. Had it been with us, I would have had it opened (for heavy motor vehicles) by now. If they (Centre) cannot manage it, they should give it to us.” He said he was told several times that the highway would be restored soon, but nothing has happened. Later in the day, he said he had got assurance from Gadkari regarding opening of the highway.

Meanwhile a delegation of fruit traders met LG Manoj Sinha who assured them things will be sorted out.

Fruit Growers and Dealers’ Association chief Basheer Ahmad Basheer said various issues of fruit growers and traders from the valley were put before the LG. “He has assured us that appropriate action will be taken to address the issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, PDP leader Iltija Mufti visited the Anantnag fruit mandi. “This is great injustice with fruit growers,” she said while referring to the national highway issues.

J&K Peoples Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone accused the government of criminal negligence and said that Kashmir’s famed apple industry stares at catastrophic losses.

Mirwaiz wrote on X, “The government’s apathy is pushing people’s hard work to ruin.”