Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan today directed all Deputy Commissioners of the Kashmir Division to ensure that all fruit laden trucks from the valley are able to ply round the clock on the Highway without any kind of unnecessary stoppage towards Jammu.The meeting was informed that the valley produces 18 lac metric tonnes of fruits of different varieties annually, out of which 11 lac metric ton is supplied to other parts of the country. This requires 1000 trucks per day for transportation and normally each truck has a 9-ton load capacity.The Divisional Commissioner directed all Deputy Commissioners to deploy all empty trucks which are meant for Ladakh supplies and FCI storage to the concerned Fruit Mandis in their respective districts till the completion of fruit transportation from the valley to the outside states.All DCs were directed to enforce revised government rates for fruit transportation in letter and spirit and take strict action against those truck drivers, who are found charging exorbitant rates. JKSRTC will also provide requisite number of trucks for fruit transportation in every fruit mandi at government approved revised rates.The Div Com directed Police, Traffic and all ARTOs to provide round the clock and hassle-free safe passage to the fruit laden trucks on the interior roads and Highway on priority basis.
All DCs will monitor the fruit transportation on daily basis besides they will hold weekly review meetings with fruit growers and other concerned officers in their respective districts and send the report to the divisional commissioner for further course of necessary action.The Divisional Commissioner reiterated that fruit industry is the back bone of State’s economy and stressed the officers to work with zeal, synergy and close coordination with all Deputy Commissioners so that the Kashmiri fruit reaches all States of the country without any difficulty thus raising economic graph of the valley.Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Director Horticulture (Planning and Marketing), Director Horticulture (Production), GM JKSRTC, Additional Transport Commissioner, RTO Kashmir, SSP Traffic, Representatives of Fruit Growers Association and other concerned officers were present in the meeting where as all Deputy Commissioners of the Kashmir Division participated in the meeting through video conferencing.