PR / IH Desk
MALIGAON, June 02 2020: Almost all the people around the world are struggling to overcome the menace of Covid-19 pandemic. India is not an exception. In our country, lakhs of corona warriors are fighting at their respective fields against this deadly virus. Railway men of this country are also providing 24 x 7 services to the common people, without which there is hardly any possibility to maintain the supply chain of essential services on a Pan India basis.
During the Nationwide lockdown period, Railways have demonstrated agility and ingenuity to cater to completely new requirements that arose in India’s fight against COVID-19. As the situation being faced is an unprecedented one, the requirements are also of a unique kind. There was the challenge of uninterrupted supply of essential commodities like rice, wheat, vegetables, milk, medicine, fruits, petroleum products etc. not only to the doorsteps of crores of people of our country but also to Corona Warriors like Doctor, nurse, policemen etc. so that they can effectively fight against this dark chapter of mankind. Indian Railway has played a significant role in providing its services for transportation of these essential commodities and lifesaving drugs and medical equipments even beyond this region.
Northeast Frontier Railway has already operated more than 1300 nos. of inbound freight trains during the lockdown period - March 25 to 31. Goods like FCI rice, Sugar, Salt, Edible oil, Food grains, Fodder, Pulses, Fertilizer, Cement, Coal, Stone chips, Iron/Steal, Potato, Onion, Auto, Container etc were being transported regularly.
These inbound freight trains were unloaded at the goods sidings located in various states within NFR. This helped to avoid the scarcity of essential items in these states during the lock-down period. The freight loaded rakes were mainly un-loaded at various goods sidings like Dimapur, Jiribam, Bhairabi, Jirania, Dharmanagar, Udaipur, Katihar, Kishanganj, Purnea, Jogbani, Jalalgarh, Bathnaha, Malda Court, New Jalpaiguri, Rangapani, New Cooch Behar, Falakata, Hasimara, Dhupguri, Dalkolha, Bhalukpong, New Guwahati, Changsari, Azara, Kokrajhar, New Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Rangiya, Silapathar, Dhemaji, Dekargaon, Harmuti, Lanka, North Lakhimpur, Tangla, Haibargaon, Salchapra, Bokajan, Jagiroad, Furkating, Jorhat Town, Duliajan, New Tinsukia, Dibrugarh etc.
During the last month salt loaded rakes were mainly unloaded at New Bongaigaon, New Tinsukia, Jorhat Town, Dibrugarh, Jirania, Kishanganj, Purnea, Jogbani and Rangapani sidings. Sugar loaded rakes were unloaded at Purnea, Rangapani, Changsari, Azara and Jorhat Town. Food grains including rice were unloaded at places like Katihar, Kishanganj, Purnea, Jogbani, Bathnaha, Malda Court, New Jalpaiguri, New Cooch Behar, Hasimara, Jirania, Dharmanagar, Udaipur, Dimapur, Jiribam, Bhairabi, New Guwahati, Changsari, Kokrajhar, Gosaigaon, New Bongaigaon, Barpeta, North Lakhimpur, Bindukuri, Haibargaon, Salchapra, Jorhat Town, New Tinsukia, etc. Edible oil loaded rakes were unloaded at place like New Guwahati, Azara, Salchapra, Jorhat Town etc. Cement loaded rakes were unloaded at places like Jirania, Jiribam, Bhairabi, New Guwahati, Azara, Barpeta, Dekargaon, Harmuti, Haibargaon, Jorhat Town, New Tinsukia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Purnea, Jogbani, Bathnaha, Jalalgarh, New Jalpaiguri, New Cooch Behar, Dhupguri, Dalkhola etc. While petrolium products loaded rakes were maily unloaded at Malda Court, New Jalpaiguri, Dimapur, Ramnagar, Patharkhola, Gumto etc sidings.
It is evident that huge transportation of food-grains and other essential items by the NFR helped in avoiding any scarcity within its service area during the lock-down period.