In a major boost to freight connectivity, Northern Railway on Friday dispatched its first-ever automobile rake to the Kashmir Valley, carrying 116 Maruti Suzuki vehicles from Manesar in Haryana to Anantnag district.
A railway official said the first 25-vehicle NMGHS rake carrying vehicles from M/s Maruti Suzuki departed from Manesar Gati Shakti Terminal, Delhi Division on October 1 bound for Anantnag Goods Shed in south Kashmir.
It carried over 116 Maruti Suzuki passenger vehicles, including the Brezza, Dzire, Wagon R, and S-Presso.
The train covered a distance of 850 kilometers in 45 hours and reached the newly opened Anantnag Railway Terminal in south Kashmir at 11 am today.
“ Jammu–Srinagar railway line is a game changer for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. After apples, first batch of cars now reaches Kashmir valley by rail. Manesar → Anantnag,” Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted on X.
The new service is being described as a significant step in linking Kashmir more closely with the country’s automobile and freight networks while providing a faster and safer channel for transporting vehicles.
Until now, car dealers in Kashmir used to employ scores of drivers to bring new branded vehicles from Jammu by road. This practice meant that vehicles were driven for hundreds of kilometres before being delivered to customers, depriving buyers of the privilege of being the first to drive their newly purchased car.
The new rail service eliminates that practice, ensuring that cars now arrive untouched by drivers and in their original factory condition.
“This is not only about convenience, but also about customer satisfaction. When a car is delivered from the manufacturer by rail, the buyer can be assured that no one else has already driven it from Jammu to Srinagar. It is a win-win for both customers and dealers,” a car dealer said.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Uchit Singhal said this marks a new chapter in the history of automobile transportation logistics in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Other automobile companies will also join the project, benefiting both the railways and the automobile companies,” he said adding rail transport is safer because vehicles are transported in enclosed compartments, protecting them from theft, weather conditions, and road damage.
“Rail transport also reduces vehicle wear and tear compared to road travel,” he said.
Singhal said since the opening of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, 12,400.9 tons of apples have been transported from Valley while 48,387 tons of cement, 1,341 tons of steel frames and 716.1 tons of plastic goods have been ferried to Kashmir.