Karnataka Gets Life-Saving Oxygen Thanks To A Loco Crew Led By A Woman Pilot

Neelam Kumari, Assistant Loco Pilot, was selected to be part of the loco crew team in the fourth Oxygen Express train once it entered the Bengaluru Division carrying 120 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen on board, marking a first in the South Western Railway Zone.

On Tuesday, the train arrived from Jharkhand to Inland Container Depot at Whitefield Neelam Kumari, a B.Tech graduate, and mother of a five-year-old daughter, has just finished her first year at the Bengaluru Railway Division. She belongs from Bihar, Dhirendra Kumar, the Loco Pilot, and V H Wali, the Chief Loco Inspector, reached the engine room at Jolarpet station, where Division begins.

The trio made sure that the train, which left at 7.04 a.m., arrived in Whitefield at 8.31 a.m., traveling at a speed of 100 km/hr for the majority of the journey except at Bangarpet. At 8.39 a.m., it eventually reached the ICD, chugging along at 15 km/hr.

Neelam Kumari shared her experience while expressing her joy and pride that she was able to provide some assistance in this way to people who have been through so much during the pandemic. It really is a great honor. Given the importance of the consignment they were transporting, she felt like an ambulance driver during the task she was performing as she was saving numerous lives. The entire route had been cleared and made signal-free for us, making it simple to carry the train to safety. On a train trip, an ALP must remain alert at all times, updating the LP on signals and keeping a close eye on the route. On the whole journey, she was alerted to the Loco pilot by using different terms like danger, proceed and be cautious.

Dhirendra Kumar, a Bihar native was the one in the driver's seat. He said that the night before the trip, he just came to know that he would get a chance to pilot the Oxygen Express. Since joining the Bengaluru Division in 2013, this is the first time he got such an opportunity. He was well aware of what a valuable consignment they were transporting.

Wali, a Badami resident, spent the entire journey from Jolarpet to Whitefield standing inside the cabin. He wanted to be sure that things would be done appropriately. He also said that during his 30-year career with the railways, he has transported coal, oil, and a variety of other commodities, but this was special.