Jammu, Sept. 15 -- The flagging off of the first cargo parcel train from Srinagar to Delhi marks more than just the start of a new service. It offers hope to Kashmir's orchardists at a time when they need it most. The Valley's apple season is in full swing, yet heavy rains and landslides have left the Srinagar-Jammu highway repeatedly shut. For growers, the highway closure meant the very real danger of a bumper crop rotting before it could reach markets. The new train, capable of carrying around 23 tonnes of fruit a day to Delhi, is therefore not just a logistical improvement, it is a lifeline.

For decades, Kashmir's apple growers have lived with the anxiety of an unreliable highway. Every prolonged closure has meant losses running into ...