Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 24
The Railways on Tuesday reminded the county about the seriousness of the Covid-19 virus, saying it never stopped, even during the war. “Please understand the seriousness of the circumstances. Stay at home,” it said.
Railways has suspended passenger trains and is operating only freight trains, making effort to ensure availability of essential commodities through its uninterrupted freight services. Even in the war time, Railways haven’t stopped passenger trains.
During the situation of lockdown in several states, staff deployed at various good sheds, stations and control offices are working on a 24/7 basis to ensure that the supply of essential items for the nation does not gets affected.
In its statement today, the Railways said that on March 23, a total of 474 rakes were loaded for essential commodities like food grains, salt, edible oil, sugar, milk, fruits & vegetables, onion, coal and petroleum products.
During the day, it also loaded 121 rakes of iron ore, 48 rakes of steel, 25 rakes of cement, 28 rakes of fertiliser and 106 rakes of containers.
The demurrage and wharfage rates for goods and parcel have been halved till March 31. An emergency freight control room is working in the ministry. Also the Railways, in consultation with Production Units & Zonal Railway workshops, has decided to use the manufacturing facilities of its production unit, like Chittaranjan Loco Works, Chittaranjan; Integral Coach Factory, Chennai; Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala; Diesel Loco Works, Varanasi; Rail Wheel Factory, Yelehanka, to manufacture essential items which can be utilised for the treatment of affected people.
The Railway Board has issued necessary instructions to general managers of these production units to explore the feasibility of manufacture of items like simple hospital beds, medical trolleys for hospitals and quarantine facilities, IV stands, stretchers, hospital footsteps, hospital bedside lockers, washbasins with stands, ventilators, masks, sanitisers and water tanks.