Traders body wants dedicated corridor to transport apples from Kashmir to Jammu

City-based traders' body Chamber of Traders Federation (CTF) on Thursday demanded a dedicated corridor to transport apples and other perishable items from Kashmir to Jammu.

"We demand a dedicated corridor to ship apples and other perishable items from Kashmir zone to Jammu. We will offer all help to government agencies besides distressed valley traders in streamlining business operations", CTF President Neeraj Anand told reporters here.

He said Jammu is a equal stakeholder in horticulture and tourism based economy of Jammu and Kashmir and the business community of Jammu region can play a supportive role in these turbulent times.

"Jammu has large infrastructure like cold storage, warehouses, walnut processing units besides well aligned transport business and skilled manpower that helps send produce from the valley to rest of India and even abroad," he said.

Jammu based traders also invest huge amount to help valley-based growers meet their working capital needs, Neeraj claimed.

He also offered assistance to authorities in setting up co-ordination committees so that if the Kashmir Valley faces shortage of any commodity, it can be arranged and shipped immediately.

Neeraj also demanded that the dates for filing GST and annual income tax return filing should be extended as the current situation is not conducive for filing the same.

He said a delegation of CTF will soon leave for Delhi to apprise concerned ministries and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) about the losses being suffered by Jammu and Kashmir dealers.

"We are hopeful that government of India would not leave our state in lurch and help transform Jammu and Kashmir into a vibrant, modern, economically independent state," he said.