Railways offer 50% discount on return freight, Kashmir fruit growers to benefit
In a historic decision to make parcel and cargo transportation more affordable, accessible and industry-friendly across the Jammu Division and the entire region, the Railway Board has taken a landmark initiative. Under Freight Marketing Circular No. 26/2026 issued by the Board, a new facility of special concessional freight has been started on round-trip booking in Joint Parcel Product – Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) trains.
Under this new and streamlined system, if any aggregator, trader or logistics service provider makes advance booking of parcel coaches for both directions through JPP-RCS trains, he will have to pay only 1.5 times the normal rate (JP Scale) as total round-trip freight. That is, full freight for one side and a massive 50 percent discount on the return trip. For the convenience of traders, the entire booking and payment process will be completed at once at the originating station itself, freeing them from repeated paperwork and saving valuable time. This scheme has been implemented with immediate effect on all JPP-RCS routes in the country and is being operated as a pilot project for a period of one year.
The biggest benefit of this facility will be seen in the ongoing apple season in Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley is currently witnessing a bumper arrival of apples. With this new concessional rate, Kashmiri apples and other fruits and vegetables can be transported to Jammu, Delhi, Mumbai and other major markets of the country in a highly economical, fast and safe manner, which will directly benefit orchardists and traders and reduce logistics costs by about 25 percent.
Sharing information in this regard, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Shri Uchit Singhal said, “This scheme is a game-changer for our business customers. Round-trip freight of only 1.5 times, i.e. 50 percent discount on the return trip, will lead to a huge reduction in transportation costs. Especially in view of the apple season in Kashmir, this facility will prove to be a boon for orchardists, fruit growers and aggregators.”
The Jammu Division Railway Administration appeals to all traders, industry associations, Chambers of Commerce and cargo aggregators to make maximum use of this highly economical and time-bound service of the Railways.