Jammu & Kashmir Leaders Highlight Economic Strain from Srinagar-Jammu Highway Closure

Quick Summary

• Leaders across political parties have criticized the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH44) during peak fruit season, citing notable harm to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy.
• Heavy rains and flash floods caused the highway’s closure for nine days; it was reopened last week but only for light motor vehicles. Fruit-laden trucks remain stranded, raising concerns among growers about economic losses from rotting produce.
• National Conference MP Ruhullah Mehdi alleged a “pattern” targeting J&K horticulture through highway closures and other measures, highlighting horticulture’s contribution of over 75% to J&K’s GDP as crucial for its economy.
• PDP leader Iltija Mufti met Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, who assured expedited movement of trucks to mitigate losses in the apple industry.
• Awami Itihaad Party accused authorities of an “economic assault” on Kashmir’s apple industry during a protest; police detained several activists including MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed.
• CPI(M) leader M.Y Tarigami called for urgent measures by the Center to facilitate transportation of apples and highlighted issues like exclusion of apple crops under agricultural insurance schemes, lack of cold storage facilities, and delayed implementation of agricultural welfare recommendations like Minimum Support price (MSP).

Indian Opinion Analysis
The prolonged closure of NH44 during peak harvest season highlights vulnerabilities in infrastructure that directly impact Jammu & Kashmir’s economy-a region where horticulture serves as a lifeline for thousands of households with agriculture contributing significantly more than tourism revenue. While heavy rainfall exacerbated conditions due to flooding and landslides, allegations from political leaders suggest systemic challenges such as logistical inefficiencies and governance gaps in mitigating economic shocks caused by weather-induced disruptions.

This situation underscores a need for long-term strategies addressing transport bottlenecks via durable infrastructure solutions or policy frameworks anticipating climate disruptions-a growing concern globally affecting both productivity and livelihoods in agriculture-based regions like J&K.Calls by various leaders urging interventions such as cold storage growth or request under national schemes (PMFBY/MSP/MIS) merit consideration as these could possibly reduce recurrent losses due to crop spoilage or market access delays.

Jammu & Kashmir stands at an important crossroads-balancing immediate relief responses post-floods while pursuing structural upgrades that safeguard its essential industries against future challenges stemming from adverse weather events or inter-regional policy disputes.

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