WR continues real fight with Corona at various fronts

Prepare home made masks and sanitizers to fight the pandemic

Western Railway is taking all best possible efforts to prevent the spread of Covid 19 pandemic and ensure real fight at various fronts. Transportation of essential commodities through parcel special and goods trains, carrying lakhs of migrant labourers to their native states through shramik special trains, operation of special trains for general passengers, mission food distribution for free meals to needy & helpless persons and inhouse preparation of Masks, sanitizers are some of the ways to fight Corona.

In order to step up preventive measures against the coronavirus infection, masks and sanitizers are prepared inhouse at all the six divisions of WR. These masks and sanitizers are not only used by the railway officials and RPF who are involved in the day to day working of the freight and passengers movements, but also used by the labourers, who are involved in loading and unloading of goods and parcel trains.

According to a press release issued by WR CPRO Ravinder Bhakar, upto 25th May 2020, approx. 1.59 lakh masks and more than 20000 liters of sanitizers have been prepared inhouse by WR’s divisions and workshops during the lockdown period. Mumbai Central division of WR made a record 42000 masks, followed by Dahod workshop with 39700 and Ratlam division with 37130 masks. Ratlam division prepared the highest quantity of sanitizers, having made 10100 liters. Mumbai Central made 3136 liters and Dahod workshop prepared 2080 liters of sanitizers.

Ahmedabad division made 13096 masks & 2134 liters of sanitizers, Vadodara division 8407 masks, Lower Parel workshop 6600 masks & 410 liters of sanitizers, Bhavnagar division 5492 & 215 liters of sanitizers, Bhavnagar workshop 2715 masks & 215 liters of sanitizers, Rajkot division 2000 masks & 2000 liters of sanitizers, Mahalaxmi workshop 970 masks & 60 liters of sanitizers and Pratap Nagar workshop 850 masks & 285 liters of sanitizers.

These masks and sanitizers are being used in the divisions and workshops. Staff are encouraged to maintain maximum precautions by use of masks and frequent use of sanitizers to keep them safe. It is worth mentioning that so many families of railway employees too have contributed in making masks for the safety of WR’s fraternity.


*MISSION FOOD DISTRIBUTION*

Bhakar stated that WR is not just taking care of its staff, but also has come forward to the help of the needy persons, especially those who cannot even manage to get their regular meals. WR along with IRCTC and NGOs have ensured that it reaches out to maximum people by providing free meals. During the mission food distribution, almost 5.92 lakh needy & helpless persons have been provided with free meals over all 6 divisions of WR, upto 26th May, 2020 in last 59 days by WR’s commercial department, RPF, IRCTC and NGOs. On 26th May 2020, total 2585 free food packets were distributed to the needy persons over all the 6 divisions of WR.

*CARRYING MIGRANT LABOURERS TO THEIR NATIVE STATES*

Western Rly has operated 1030 SHRAMIK SPL trains from 2.5.2020 to 25.5.2020, which have carried 15,31,574 passengers to their desired destinations. On 25th May, 2020, WR operated 59 Shramik Specials; 47 from Gujarat and 12 from Maharashtra. These Shramik specials were bound to Bihar (19), UP (24), Orissa (8), Jharkhand (4) and one each for Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Tripura. The SHRAMIK SPL trains which departed from various stations of Mumbai Suburban area of WR on 25th May, 2020, were 7 from Bandra Terminus, 4 from Borivali & 1 from Vasai Road. The destinations to which these trains left were Bandra Terminus to Jaunpur , Bandra Terminus to Jaipur, Bandra Terminus to Danapur, Bandra Terminus to Lucknow, Bandra Terminus to Madhubani, Bandra Terminus to Prayagraj, Bandra Terminus to Motihari Court, Borivali to Varanasi, Borivali to Gorakhpur(2 trains), Borivali to Jaunpur and Vasai Road to Jaunpur.

*TRANSPORTING ESSENTIALS BY PARCEL SPL TRAINS*

Bhakar informed that since 22nd March to 25th May, 2020, total 4644 rakes of goods trains also have been used to supply essential commodities amounting to 9.40 million tonnes. 9192 freight trains were interchanged with other railways, including 4620 trains handed over and 4572 trains taken over at different interchange points. 272 Millennium Parcel rakes of Parcel Vans / Railway Milk Tankers (RMTs) have been sent to different parts of the country to cope with the demands of essential materials such as milk powder, liquid milk, medical supplies and other general consumer goods. It’s worth mentioning, that since 23rd March to 25th May 2020, commodities weighing more than 41 thousand tonnes have been transported by Western Rly through its 271 parcel special trains, which included agricultural produce, medicines, fish, milk.

The earnings generated through this transportation, has been approx Rs 12.38 crore. Under this transportation, thirty three milk special trains were run by Western Rly, with a load of more than 24 thousand tonnes and 100% utilization of the wagons, generating revenue of approx Rs 4.17 crore. Similarly, 234 Covid-19 special parcel trains were also run to transport essential commodities, for which the revenue earned was more than Rs 7.43 crore. In addition to this, 4 indented rakes were also run with 100% utilization for earnings of approximately Rs. 78 lakh.

Bhakar informed that three parcel special trains left from WR for various parts of the country on 26th May, 2020 viz Porbandar – Shalimar, Bandra Terminus – Ludhiana and Bhuj – Dadar special trains. He stated that the total loss of earnings over Western Railway inclusive of suburban & non – suburban sections, since March, 2020, has been Rs 1031.38 crore on account of lockdown.

Inspite of this, resulting to the cancellation of tickets till now, Western Railway has ensured to return refund amount of Rs 282.56 crore. It’s worth mentioning that in this refund amount, Mumbai division alone, has ensured refund of Rs 135.38 crore. Till now, 43.33 lakh passengers have cancelled their tickets over entire Western Railway & have received their refund amount accordingly.