SRINAGAR — The continued disruption of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has adversely affected the availability of essential supplies in Kashmir, and the fruit growers and traders fear irreparable loss to the industry unless the highway is restored to heavy vehicular traffic immediately.
The traffic department advisory said only light vehicles would be allowed to move on the Srinagar-Jammu highway on Tuesday.
Hundreds of apple-laden trucks have been stranded on the highway for many days, as the consignments are likely to rot unless the highway opens without further delay.
These trucks are parked at different places on the highway, unable to move beyond Udhampur due to the sinking of a portion of the highway at Tharad.
A major sinking stretch of the road, measuring approximately 50-60 meters near the Tharad Bridge, has caused the highway to close for traffic, with efforts to clear debris and restore the road continuing amidst further damage and unstable terrain.
Fruit growers have already suffered huge losses due to the NH closure, as the apple consignments in the stationary trucks have rotted.
Growers are living life on the edge in the Valley, fearing that unless the highway is immediately restored, the horticulture industry would have suffered irreparable losses in Kashmir.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Monday on X, “Just spoke to Union Minister @MORTHIndia @nitin_gadkari Sb regarding the situation along NH 44 & the lack of connectivity with the rest of the country along this vital link. The frustration of fruit growers is understandable. They have been very patient for the first few days but watching their hard work rot because @nhidcl is unable to stabilise the highway, their patience has worn thin & that is totally understandable. Some concrete steps will be taken within the next 24 hours to address this problem but I will wait for that to happen before I say any more about the proposed plan of action.”
Affected by the disruption of the supply chain, most petrol refilling stations in the Valley operated with thin stocks as many put up boards stating that they had exhausted their stocks on Monday.
Long queues of vehicles at the petrol refilling stations added to the fear of the common citizen.
Edibles are also being sold by the traders at self-imposed prices, taking refuge under the highway blockade. Chicken was sold at Rs 190 per kg while eggs cost a buyer Rs 240 per dozen in Srinagar city.
The scarcity is already hitting household budgets. Prices of vegetables and other edibles have begun to climb steeply in local markets.
Traders say rates of onions, tomatoes and other essentials have doubled in some areas within a week, while milk and poultry are also becoming costlier. So far, medicines and foodgrains are freely available, and there has been no hoarding of these items in the Valley. –IANS
