Addressing reporters at the site, Mufti said apple growers were facing heavy losses due to the highway restrictions and alleged that the delay was affecting Kashmir’s fruit industry during the peak season. Mufti criticised the government over its response to the issue, saying an elected administration with a strong mandate should have intervened to address the concerns of fruit growers. “Does statehood prevent the Chief Minister from coming here and standing with our fruit growers?” Mufti said a similar situation had occurred last year when, according to her, fruit remained stranded on the highway for weeks due to maintenance-related restrictions. She announced that growers and traders would hold a protest at Qazigund from the day after tomorrow if the highway stretch was not reopened by Saturday.