Kashmir on Friday witnessed a first-of-its-kind milestone in automobile logistics, with the arrival of its maiden dedicated car carrier rake by Indian Railways.A special train carrying 116 brand-new Maruti Suzuki vehicles, including Brezza, Dzire, WagonR and S-Presso, rolled into the Anantnag Goods Shed directly from the company’s Manesar plant in Haryana, PTI reported. This marks the first time cars have been dispatched to the Valley by rail, bypassing the 300-km-long Srinagar–Jammu National Highway that often remains disrupted during winters.The initiative, officials said, eliminates the need to drive vehicles up from Jammu to Kashmir, a route notorious for landslides, snow closures and delays.Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called the rail link a “game-changer” for Jammu and Kashmir. “In recent times, apples from the Valley have been transported using the Jammu & Kashmir rail link. Now, Maruti Suzuki cars will be transported to Kashmir Valley by rail. Jammu-Srinagar railway line is a game-changer for the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said the Chenab arch bridge was a landmark, enabling seamless and efficient connectivity. “Railway dispatches are central to our logistics strategy, and this connectivity allows us to better serve customers in the region,” he said, adding the move aligns with the PM GatiShakti Master Plan, PTI quoted.Local dealerships also hailed the step. Irfan Ahmad Narwaroo of Jamkash Vehicleades, the Valley’s largest Maruti dealer told PTI, “The condition of the road is not good here, so the train is a good thing. Earlier, cars had already run nearly 300 km when they reached us. Now, availability will not be an issue and customers will get brand-new cars faster.”With this, Maruti Suzuki has become the first automobile manufacturer in India to utilise Indian Railways for dispatching cars to the Valley—a shift expected to not only save time and cost but also offer customers vehicles in pristine condition.