Launched with much fanfare on August 7, 2020, the inaugural Kisan Rail service connecting Devlali (Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar) promised to revolutionise agricultural logistics. However, RTI replies from 45 railway divisions and zones reveal that not a single Kisan Rail has ever carried milk. This is despite the government’s announcement that Kisan Rail would be used to transport perishables, including milk, meat, and fish. The Kisan Rail subsidy, launched in 2020 with the promise of covering 50 per cent freight costs for fruits and vegetables, was hailed as a lifeline for farmers. The Kisan Rail subsidyultimately became a victim of bureaucratic deadlock—a promise buried under files, meetings, and shifting responsibility, while the intended beneficiaries were left waiting.