Western Railway loads 6.14 million tonnes of essential goods amid COVID-19 lockdown

Photo: Twitter@COVIDNewsByMIB

New Delhi: As the nation observes the COVID-19 lockdown to stop the spread of COVID19, it is the frontline warriors who ensure the supply of essential goods and services. Western Railway (WR) has made a significant contribution to serve the nation amid lockdown. So far, 3258 rakes have been loaded amounting to 6.14 million tons of essential goods to different states including the North East region.

The commodities being carried include fertilizer, salt, food grain, cement, coal. In addition to these 178 rakes of Millennium Parcel Van and Milk Tank Wagons with essential commodities such as medicine, medical kits, frozen food, milk powder and liquid milk has also been loaded.

Central Public Relations Officer, Ravinder Bhakar informed that commodities weighing more than 27,000 tonnes have been transported by the Western Railway through its various parcel special trains, which includes agricultural produce, medicines, fish, milk etc. Similarly, 149 COVID-19 special parcel trains have been run to transport essential commodities, for which the revenue earned is approx Rs 4.36 crore. In addition to this, 4 indented rakes also run with 100% utilization. The loading of food grains has shown a growth of 200% in the month of April 2020 compared to April 2019. During the period, diesel utilization has improved by approximately 26% and electric utilization by 10%, as compared to last year.

It has also extended assurance to its customers with all necessary assistance needed to carry out transportation from placing of indent to transit and delivery at destinations. In addition to this significant policy changes made by the Board to facilitate customers has also greatly helped. Relaxation of demurrage/wharfage charges, delivery at destination in absence of a receipt, withdrawal of haulage charges are a few among them.

In order to ensure smooth flow of work, Western Railway has issued 1,350 passes to labourers and trucks. Liaison with state authorities namely Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has been done to facilitate labourers/trucks with passes.

A sanitizer tunnel has been set up at Ahmadabad division at goods shed to ensure the safety of the employees.

At other major goods shed, masks, hand gloves and sanitizers have been provided.

27 thermal scanning guns have also been procured by the Western Railway to check the body temperature of labourers/workers at goods shed.

CPRO, Bhakar also added that due to lockdown, the total loss of earnings over Western Railway has been Rs 761.56 crore. Despite this, a refund amounting to Rs 238.22 crore, (Mumbai division alone - Rs 115.11 crore) has been made owing to cancellation of tickets. 37.24 lakh passengers have cancelled their tickets with the Western Railway and have received their refund amount till now.