Kashmir fruit unions write to Nitin Gadkari, demand highway status for Mughal Road

Srinagar, Dec 28: Kashmir’s two influential fruit growers’ associations – Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union and the New Kashmir Fruit Association Fruit Marketing Complex, Parimpora Srinagar – have written to Union Minister of Road and Transport, Nitin Gadhkari, demanding designation of the Mughal Road as a National Highway and construction of a tunnel across the Pir ki Gali mountain pass for easier transportation of fruits and other goods between Kashmir and Jammu regions.

Following is the full and unedited text of the letter written by the President of the two associations to Mr Gadhkari

Nitin Gadhkari,

Honb’le Minister of Road and Transport 

Government of India 

Subject: Request for declaration of Mughal Road J&K (UT) as National Highway 

Honb’le Sir,

With great respects and humble submission your goodself is informed that during winter months the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH44) often remains closed and the fresh fruits which are considered most perishable gets fully damaged in the transit on various spots of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH44) during its transportation from Valley to outside J&K with the result the Valley Based Fruit Growers faces heavy losses.

Since Mughal Road of J&K (T) is the only alternate road in place of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH44) for transportation of fresh fruits outside Valley without any trouble. However, repairement of the said road and construction of a tunnel at PEER KI GALI is essentially required for comfort plying of fleet. 

In this connection your goodself had been enough kind taking the matter with Chairman National Highway Authority of India Vide your D.O Letter No: 1366012/MIN/RT&H/VIP/2019 Dated: 30-December,2019 (Copy enclosed for ready reference) but it is unfortunate that despite of a period of  more than 2 years now suitable action does not seem to have been initiated neither for Construction of tunnel at PEER KI GALI  nor  Mughal  Road J&K (UT) have been declared National Highway and the fresh fruits particularly all varieties of Apple Crop while transportation to outside J&K (UT) are stopped in the transit for days together  due to closure of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway causing heavy losses to Fruit Growers of the Valley. 

Under the circumstances explained above your goodself is requested kindly take up the matter with National Highway Authorities of India once again for declaring Mughal Road J&K (UT) as National Highway with consideration of construction of tunnel at PEER KI GALI. 

For ACT of this kindness we shall be highly obliged.   

With great regards,

Yours Sincerely, 

(Bashir Ahmad Basheer)

Chairman  – Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union

President – New Kashmir Fruit Association Fruit Marketing Complex, Parimpora Srinagar