In early spring, as orchards in rural Kashmir were starting to bud, high school student Mehwish Muzafar was traveling to take an exam and catching up on WhatsApp messages when she read that there were surveyors in her home village of Reshipora.

They were there to demarcate apple farms for the construction of the 27-kilometer (18-mile) railway line that would connect the Kashmiri towns of Awantipora and Shopian. She said the news shocked her so much that she fainted.

And back in the village, her mother Dilshada Begum and many of her neighbors rushed to their land to protect the orchards they had cultivated for many years.

"This land and these orchards are our heritage," Dilshada told DW. "These orchards earn us about 1,200,000 rupees ($14,000, €13.500) annually, which we depend on to support our family."

Dilshada and her ailing husband have raised four daughters on their orchard income. And they are not the only ones. She said the affected orchards are owned by some 300 families of the Reshipora hamlet, and the farmers will be left with nothing if the trees are uprooted for the railway expansion. 

Government 'committed to addressing residents' concerns'

Apple farmers in the region told DW they were never notified about the survey. Instead, men with drones and other equipment simply appeared on their land. When questioned, they told the farmers they were researching a planned railway route through the Himalayan region.

Local official Nisar Ahmad Wani said authorities were "working to mitigate impacts on local livelihoods as much as possible."

"The final alignment of the line will be determined by the federal government of India, but we're committed to addressing residents' concerns."

"This is a mandate from the government and we have to follow," said Himanshu Shekhar, the chief public relations officer for India's Northern Railways.

Shehkar said the company executing the work is focused on felling fewer trees. While some trees may need to be cut, "we assure that many would be planted," he added.

New railways to boost economy, tourism

In December 2023, India approved five new railway lines within Kashmir, including Awantipora-Shopian. This is part of a larger plan to boost traffic links between India-controlled Kashmir and major Indian cities, which also includes the construction of the world's tallest railway bridge.

India's Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the expansion would benefit the local community and business by improving connectivity and boosting tourism. But critics have warned that the five proposed lines would affect 288 hectares (712 acres) of land and, in many cases, cut through fertile ground. This also applies to the Shopian district.

The densely forested area is the hub of Kashmir's apple production, which employs nearly 3.5 million people across the region and contributes over 8% of Kashmir's GDP.

"Shopian depends on apples, it is better they kill us first then go on with this project," said 56-year-old farmer Mohd Yousuf Reshi.

Apples key to Kashmiri economy

Environmentalist Raja Muzaffar said government plans would be disastrous for the environment and the regional economy.

"Uprooting orchards not only threatens the environment but also violates the principles of sustainable land use that India has committed to under various conventions," he told DW.

And with Kashmir facing an unemployment crisis, which saw the joblessness rate for the Jammu and Kashmir reigon reportedly at nearly 25% in July this year, apple farming is the only reliable way many locals have to provide for themselves and their families. 

For students like 27-year-old Azhar Wani, his family orchards are the last resort to earn a decent living.

"There are no jobs, yet they are taking away my last option," said Wani, who is about to complete his master's degree in economics.

Row over region's future

However, Northern Railways spokesman Shehkar believes farmers should note the "economic benefits that the train would bring," adding that his company would provide adequate compensation.

"Many times, the government of India also offers jobs as part of the compensation package," Shehkar said.

He sees the project as a boon to Kashmir's tourism industry, which he believes lacks visitors due to the area's poor connectivity. A railway line, according to Shekhar, would unlock economic potential for generations to come.

Many farmers, however, refuse to even entertain the notion of taking money.

"No amount of compensation can replace what we've worked for over generations," Dilshada said.

Farmers propose alternative route

The community fears that once the land is taken, there will be no turning back. In April, farmers wrapped themselves in white shrouds to protest against the expansion.

"We've heard that only 300 feet of the orchard area will be taken, then we hear it's 900 feet. It feels like we're being deceived," said farmer Mohd Yousuf Reshi.

Farmers have proposed an alternative route, suggesting that the government use less fertile land in the vicinity.

However, Shekhar said the alternative route would simply be too long.

"If it was about two to three kilometers, we would have considered," he said.

'This land is all we have'

The ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference, intends to ask the federal Railways Ministry to rethink the proposed railway lines and take all the stakeholders onboard, said party spokesman Imran Nabi Dar.

The final decision on the railway line's route, however, remains with India's central government.

Whatever the outcome may be, the farmers are determined to protect their apple orchards.

"This land is all we have," said Dilshada, as she looked over her orchard. "We won't let it go without a fight."

Edited by: Darko Janjevic