Distributes food packets to underprivileged and needy persons affected by COVID 19
With the 21 days lockdown declared by Prime Minister to contain the
spread of the deadly Coronavirus entering the sixth day, various sections of
underprivileged people such as marginally poor, daily wagers, labourers are
finding it difficult to meet the both ends.
In this dire situation, Western Railway’s staff from various
departments such as the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Commercial staff and
the IRCTC have voluntarily come forward with a helping hand and has displayed
their humane side by being ‘Good Samaritans’ to such persons affected by the
lockdown by providing free food packages, groceries or any other such essential
items required by them.
Alok Kansal – General Manager of Western Rly is in all praise
for these employees who have gone beyond their call of duty and has shown such
exemplary act of kindness in such testing times. However, he has also given a
word of caution to take all preventive & necessary safety and hygiene
levels to be practiced to ensure zero error.
According to a press release issued by WR CPRO Ravinder
Bhakar, in the wake of the pandemic Corona virus lockdown in our country, W.
Rly alongwith IRCTC have extended all required help to reach out to as many
needful people and serve them by providing with food packets, ration packages
and other essentials. Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
has geared up its base kitchens in Mumbai and Ahmedabad stations for preparing
distress meals in huge quantities for the poor and needy people in and around
Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Around 1500 Meals comprising of Dal Khichdi Pickle were
prepared by IRCTC on the 29th of March, 2020 from their Base Kitchen at Mumbai
Central for distribution whereas on 30th March, 2020, 2880 & 1037 meals
were prepared at Mumbai & Ahmedabad Base Kitchens respectively for
distribution. These simple and hygienic meals were made available for onward
distribution through the channels of NGOs and Railway’s Commercial staff and
RPF personnel to the needy/destitute /poor & stranded amidst this Covid-19
epidemic.
Major NGOs to whom Khichdi meals were supplied from Mumbai
Base Kitchen are Salaam Mumbai, Robinhood Army, New Future Foundation, Mariyam
Trust & Nanhi Kali. Mariam Trust distributed Khichdi in Mariamanagar
located at Worli, Mumbai whereas, Nanhi Kali distributed the meals outside KEM
hospital, Tata hospital & also in slums around there. The food prepared by
Ahmedabad Base Kitchen was distributed by the RPF & commercial staff to
around 600 needy persons.
This socially responsible gesture on part of IRCTC shall
continue in the forthcoming days also and the numbers are expected to rise.
Several NGOs and Trust Funds have also extended their generosity to help the
needy across the Western Railway jurisdiction. At Vasai Road, the Gurdwara
Prabandhan Commitee distributed Khichdi to around 50 to 60 needy people
including HouseKeeping Staffs.
W.Rly’s RPF feeds thousands of poor people in the wake of
COVID 19 lockdown people are not finding work and facing financial crunch. Poor
people are worst hit by the pandemic. In a pan division program, Railway
Protection Force, Mumbai Division, Western Railway provided food to 2765 poor
people on 30.03.2020. RPF has geared up and working tirelessly in this tough
time not only to protect Railway assets including thousands of coaches and
engines stabled throughout the division but also working wholeheartedly to feed
poor people as a humanitarian gesture. RPF is distributing meal prepared at
IRCTC base kitchen at Mumbai Central station.
Apart from this RPF is coordinating with several NGOs and
social workers to feed those who are in dire need of nutrition. IRCTC has
started it’s base kitchen in Mumbai Central and preparing distress meals
in huge quantities for the poor and needy people in Mumbai. Several NGOs including
Salaam Mumbai, Future India Foundation, Gujrati Samaj, Yuva Prerna and
Robinhood Army were roped in.
This socially responsible gesture on part of RPF in
coordination with other agencies shall continue in the forthcoming days also
and the numbers of meals distributed are expected to rise. Due precautions,
usage of PPE and social distancing norms were strictly observed while
distributing the food. The people were also briefed regarding the do’s and
don’ts of COVID 19. It is RPF’s constant endeavour to provide selfless service
to the people in this hour of need.
Bhakar stated that few railwaymen have also voluntarily come
forward to serve such needful persons in their vicinity by spending from their
own pockets. One such glaring example is J.K. Sumara working as Dy. CTI at
Bhavnagar station of W.Rly. He has taken a great inititiave in helping licensed
porters who are now without any source of income and distributed provisions
& other essential goods worth ₹10,000 to the Licensed Porters at Bhavnagar station. Each
care package was worth Rs. 550 and each porter was also helped with a cash
amount of Rs. 500 as well.
At Botad station, few railway employees alongwith the locals,
distributed Roti, sabji and buttermilk to some 100 odd needy people and has
assured that this noble deed will be continued. At Nagda station of Ratlam
division, RPF personnel distributed food packets in the nearby slum areas which
comprised of daily wage labourers. The Railways as well as the railway
employees are extending their help to the needy in the event of a national
crisis, even though there is a complete lockdown of passenger ferrying trains.
On the other hand, Railways is also running goods train, milk van trains and
now even parcel van trains to help transport essential commodities to different
parts of the country. This will ensure to keep the supply of basic essential
commodities to the citizens of the country.