Vijayawada: Railways keeps supply chain running amid lockdown

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada division of the South Central Railway (SCR) is transporting essential commodities, including medicine, to keep the supply chains intact in spite of the unprecedented lockdown being implemented throughout the country due to the outbreak of Covid-19. Divisional railway manager (DRM) P Srinivas has been focusing in transportation of all essential commodities through time-tabled special parcel express trains to different parts of the country.

A quick glance at the list of the commodities reveals that the Vijayawada division has transported 451.7 tonne essential commodities like lime, iced fish, eggs, ghee tins, mangoes, perishables and others including 4.5 tonne medicines to various destinations from Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Guduru, Nellore and Anakapalle stations. The division has so far transported 26.65 tonne fruits, 4.53 tonne medicines, 203.8 tonne fish, 39.47 tonne eggs, 63.22 tonne lime, 12.57 tonne ghee tins, 101.46 tonne other essential commodities from March 23 till date.

Nusrat Mandrupkar, Vijayawada division public relations officer (PRO) told The Hans India on Tuesday that the parcel vans were properly sanitised before and during loading of commodities into parcel vans. Also, necessary precautionary measures were taken to maintain physical distance between the members of staff. Moreover, for the convenience of the rail customers, the details of the movement of the trains were fed to the National Train Enquiry System to keep track of the status of the parcel trains.

Nusrat appealed to the interested parties, merchants to contact the zonal commercial control office or office of the senior divisional commercial manager for transporting essential commodities. However, these special parcel express trains are strictly for carrying essential commodities and not open for travelling public, she said.