India: Cement rail movement begins from Kathua to Anantnag

• New rail route connects Jammu division with Kashmir Valley
• Ganpati Cement may continue with rail transport based on demand

Cement rail traffic is set to begin between Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station and Anantnag Railway Station, marking the first cement movement between two stations within Jammu Railway Division. An indent has been placed for one Bogie Covered Wagon (BCN) rake carrying cement bags, with loading scheduled from 14 September 2026.

New origin-destination pair supports Valley supplies
The movement follows efforts by Jammu Division’s Business Development Unit (BDU) to develop freight traffic with cement industry participants. Ganpati Cement, Kathua, has agreed to transport its product to the Kashmir Valley by rail.

The development creates a new O-D (Origin-Destination) pair for cement freight and provides an additional logistics channel for construction material reaching the Valley. Railway authorities are positioning rail as an economical, safe, and environment-friendly alternative for freight movement.

Regular volumes could determine commercial impact
The company has indicated that cement traffic could continue consistently and increase in volume depending on demand in the Kashmir Valley. However, the current disclosure does not provide rake tonnage, rail freight rates, road freight comparisons, or expected monthly dispatch volumes.

For cement producers and logistics operators, sustained rail movement could become commercially relevant if regular rake volumes develop and improve freight efficiency into the Valley.