Northeast Frontier Railway's endeavour to provide help to common people

GUWAHATI: 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.

The Northeast Frontier Railway has already operated more than 1,200 inbound freight trains during the lockdown period w.e.f. March 25 to May 24. Freights include foodgrains, FCI rice, edible oil, salt, sugar, iron/steel, fly ash, fertilizer, Husk, maize, coal, cement, auto, container etc. These inbound freight trains were mostly unloaded at Jorhat, New Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, New Guwahati, Silchar, Agartala, Azara, Changsari, Barpeta Road, Harmuti, New Cooch Behar, Dhupguri, Tezpur, New Jalpaiguri, Katihar and various other locations. Similarly, more than 200 nos. of Parcel Special trains arriving at Guwahati, New Guwahati, Azara, Changsari, Agartala & New Tinsukia from major industrial hubs situated in Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Bangalore and Kolkata Area were unloaded for quick distribution of essential commodities to remote markets to provide relief to the public. In order to ensure hassle-free booking and delivery of Parcel & freight consignments, all Railway Officials at every level were put into the job so that wheels of rail never stopped. Northeast Frontier Railway achieved to deliver such a huge quantity of essential commodity with just mandatory skeleton staff.

These inbound Parcel Express trains carried essential commodities like Milk, various Milk Products, Medicine, Mask, Personal Protection Equipment, Sanitizer for hospital uses, and Sanitizer for Personal Use, Maggi, Oat, Corn-flex and various other similar products, fresh fruits, Baby foods, Amul Taza, Amul Ghee, Paneer etc. to this region. NFR has also played a pivotal role in ensuring the availability of essential commodities and medical equipment in this region at this hour of crisis. NFR has been operating a few Covid-19 Parcel Special Trains in few selective routes viz – 1) Guwahati – Agartala & back, 2) Guwahati – Dibrugarh and back, 3) Guwahati – Mandipathar and back, 4) Guwahati – Howarh & back, 5) Guwahati – New Jalpaiguri and back in recent times.   

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