Team Herald
VASCO: Though passenger train services stand cancelled during lockdown, Railways is running goods and parcel trains to ensure the supply of essential commodities across the country is not affected.
Station Masters, loco pilots, guards, RPF, maintenance staff, control office staff and other essential category staff are working to ensure the movement of goods and parcel trains carrying essential commodities.
As a precaution to fight against COVID-19, the Railways is providing in-house manufactured masks for these frontline staff. Some staff working from home have volunteered to prepare masks. Some family members of Railway staff are also helping the Railways in its fight against the virus by volunteering to stitch masks for the staff.
In addition to this, P Augustine, a retired Master Craftsman, who was working in a carriage shop at Hubballi workshop, has come forward to stitch masks for the railway staff. He has stitched around 100 masks so far and intends to stitch 1000 more. The material for masks is supplied to him by the Mechanical Department of Hubballi Division.
Appreciating the selfless service of the retired employee, Ajay Kumar Singh, General Manager of South Western Railway said such contribution will go a long way in overcoming the present crisis. It shows the commitment that even if a Railway employee retires she/he will remain service-minded.
It may be recalled that recently, Suresh Angadi, Minister of State of Railways had addressed appreciation letters to Anitha B, wife of Jeremiah Basimalla, a track maintainer working in Hubballi and Deepa T, a Railway employee working in Bengaluru Division who have stitched masks for staff.
