Kulgam Fruit Growers Hold Peaceful Protest, Seek Restoration of Highway for Uninterrupted Fruit Transport
The Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Association Kulgam on Saturday staged a peaceful protest inside the Fruit Mandi premises, demanding immediate restoration of the National Highway and round-the-clock movement of fruit-laden trucks.
The protesters urged the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir to take urgent measures, citing huge losses due to frequent road blockages.
Speaking on the occasion, Association President Gh. Mohd Banday said, “We are incurring heavy losses as our produce fails to reach markets on time. Apples are highly perishable, and any delay in transportation affects both quality and rates.”
The growers also made a special appeal to higher authorities of the security forces to intervene and facilitate smooth traffic movement, emphasizing that the livelihood of thousands of growers and dealers depends on timely transportation.
The association warned that if the issue is not resolved without delay, Kashmir’s fruit industry — regarded as one of the backbones of the region’s economy — will continue to suffer severe setbacks.
