Pulwama/Shopian: A proposed 27.6-kilometre railway line connecting Awantipora (Kakapora) in Pulwama district with Shopian has triggered widespread concern among residents, apple growers, and environmental groups in south Kashmir, who fear large-scale ecological damage and loss of livelihoods.
The project, officially titled the Awantipora-Shopian Railway Line, aims to connect two locations that are barely 20 kilometres apart by road. Local farmers who would be impacted have questioned the rationale of the alignment, particularly given that the region is already well connected through an existing road network and Kakapora has a functional railway station.
Their worry: the project will cut through fertile apple orchards the primary source of livelihood for thousands of families in the region. 80 per cent of agricultural land has been converted into orchards in this belt.
Hundreds of fruit growers are protesting since December 7, 2025, but their voices remain lesser heard.
Protesters say the Railway project was planned without meaningful consultation and that the compensation offered fails to reflect the long-term economic losses tied to orchard land.
The proposed railway alignment is expected to pass through parts of Kakapora, Litter, and adjoining villages, areas known for high-density apple cultivation. According to local growers’ associations, nearly 200 to 250 acres of orchard land is likely to be impacted in Pulwama district alone, though residents fear the final figure could rise once demarcation is completed.
Fears of Large-Scale Tree Felling
Local horticulturists estimate that between 6 and 7 lakh apple trees and other trees across nearly a dozen villages, including Babhar, Keegam, Chak Niltrisal, Chak Nazninpora, and Kunsoo in Pulwama and Shopian would be axed if the current alignment is implemented.
“Each kanal of land here has at least 15 to 20 mature apple trees,” said Abdul Rashid Bhat, a grower from Kakapora whose orchard lies directly on the proposed route.
Most families own only two to three kanals of land, making them particularly vulnerable to land acquisition.
Many of the trees reportedly fall under the protection of the Jammu and Kashmir Specified Trees Act, 1969, including chinar, walnut, mulberry, and willow trees, says Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat of the J&K Climate Action Group (JKCAG) said the project could have serious ecological and economic consequences.
Officials have not yet carried out mass evictions or displacements, and most affected families are still living on their land. However, villagers say survey markings and pillar installations have created fear and uncertainty.
Impact on Farmers and Infrastructure
Residents also fear that the railway line would disrupt local irrigation channels (kuls), further threatening agricultural productivity. In Kunsoo village alone, locals claim that 40 to 50 kanals of land may be acquired for a proposed railway station.
Several farmers expressed anguish over the potential loss of their only source of income.
“Many apple orchards are about 50 to 60 years,” said one farmer, and animatedly added with a mixed sense of passion and desperation, “we have nurtured them with our blood and cared for these apple orchards like our own children, so that they could provide livelihood and employment.”
“Now, these apple orchards are being taken away from us in the name of development.”
Apple cultivation forms the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy.
According to orchard owners, a single mature apple tree yields produce worth ₹20,000 to 25,000 annually, depending on variety and market conditions. This means that one kanal of orchard land can generate ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh per year, while a full acre can fetch ₹15 to 20 lakh annually.
“If 200 acres are taken, the annual economic loss alone crosses ₹30 to 40 crore,” said Ghulam Mohammad, a fruit grower.
“This is recurring loss for decades,” he added.
Compensation a Pittance
Residents argue that official compensation calculations are limited to land value and timber price, ignoring the lifelong productive capacity of apple orchards.
According to villagers, compensation is being offered under the Land Acquisition Act, based largely on recent land sale rates. Farmers claim they are being offered ₹8–12 lakh per acre in some areas, depending on classification.
“This is unjust,” said Shabir Ahmad Dar, an orchard owner.
“They are compensating land once, but our trees give income every year. There is no standard policy here that compensates future income loss.”
There is no uniform national policy for compensating perennial horticulture loss beyond a one-time payout, a gap that growers say disproportionately harms orchard-dependent regions like Kashmir.
Villagers said that the compensation offered would be insufficient to purchase land elsewhere, as land availability in adjoining villages is limited.
Incremental Anxieties
The proposed government measures have triggered widespread anger and anxiety among communities that have already endured decades of hardship. The villagers say the new policies threaten to prolong their suffering rather than bring relief.
“These areas suffered immensely during years of militancy. People paid a heavy price. Now, instead of healing old wounds, government policies are reopening them and pushing people back into fear,” said a resident.
In Pulwama, an elderly man broke down in tears while appealing to authorities. “Don’t cut our apple orchards. We don’t need this railway. These orchards provide jobs to our youth and are our only source of income,” he said.
Echoing the concern, an apple grower from Shopian said the community’s survival depends entirely on horticulture. “Our livelihood and our children’s future are tied to these orchards. We do not want this railway project.”
He pointed to the absurd logic of the railway line being laid down at a huge cost.
“Shopian and Pulwama are just 19 kilometres apart, a distance we cover by road in about 19 minutes. The proposed rail line stretches 30 to 40 kilometres and would take longer. This makes it clear that the project serves no practical purpose and instead threatens to destroy the horticulture sector and snatch away our livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmir,” he elaborates.
Environmental Concerns
Environmental activists and villagers have alleged that mandatory procedures under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, have not been followed.
Environmentalists warn that the loss of extensive apple orchards could have long-term ecological consequences. As Bhat explains, apple trees play a significant role in carbon sequestration, air purification, and supporting biodiversity, including pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The region’s orchards are considered vital ecological buffers in an area otherwise facing increasing developmental pressure.
There are also concerns that construction activities could encourage riverbed and clay mining to meet the demand for construction material, further stressing local ecosystems, he added.
How Villagers Are Resisting
Since mid-December, villagers are resisting in various peaceful ways. They have formed joint action committees, staged peaceful protests, and submitted memorandums to the district administration. They have also stopped survey teams from entering orchards, demanding that work remain suspended until a revised plan is made public.
“Our resistance is peaceful,” said youth activist Zahid Ahmad. “We are not against development, but it should not come at the cost of our survival.”
Residents of Pulwama and Shopian are opposing the railway project, saying it will destroy apple orchards and threaten their livelihoods. They are demanding a realignment of the track to avoid farmland and calling for public consultations with affected villages.
Civil society groups have urged authorities to explore alternatives such as non-orchard routes, elevated tracks, or existing transport corridors to minimise damage.
“Kashmir does not oppose connectivity, but development that ignores local economies creates long-term instability,” said Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, a PhD scholar.
For orchard owners in Pulwama and Shopian, the stakes are existential. As protests continue, residents say construction will not be allowed unless their concerns are formally addressed, making the project a key test of how development is negotiated in Kashmir.
Standing amid the apple trees in his orchard, Abdul Rashid Bhat says, “This land fed our parents and our children……… If these trees fall, an entire way of life falls with them.”
The distress of the fruit growers, and their resolve to strengthen their resistance against the project, has inspired support and solidarity at the local and political level.
Several political leaders have strongly opposed the proposed Kakapora–Kunsoo railway project, warning it will destroy apple orchards and livelihoods.
MLA Rajapora Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir called the project “useless” and an attempt to weaken the local economy. Muzaffar Shah, Vice President of the Awami National Party (ANP), said a railway at the cost of the fruit industry is unacceptable. MLA Shopian Shabir Ahmad Kullay termed the project a “disaster for Kashmir,” arguing funds should instead be spent on healthcare, education, and roads.
MLA Zainapora Showkat Hussain Ganie said he has raised the issue with National Conference MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, who will approach the Railway Minister, stressing that local communities are wholly dependent on apple orchards for survival.
A Double Whammy
Meanwhile, the woes of the agriculturalists and horticulturists in Pulwama and Shopian are multiplying.
According to a recent Maktoob Media report, villagers also fear losing fertile apple orchards to security projects without consultation. Earlier this month, officials surveyed orchards in Lajurah and Puchal villages, marking nearly 250 kanals of land for a proposed security installation. Residents said the survey was conducted without prior notice, sparking protests after they learned that land cultivated for generations could be taken away, the report said.
It quoted villagers as saying that the earmarked orchards contain thousands of fruit-bearing apple trees and serve not only as their primary source of income but also as protection during floods. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who joined the protests by the villagers against the project, questioned why fertile agricultural land was chosen instead of barren areas, warning that such decisions deepen economic insecurity in an already fragile region.
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