In its efforts to ensure that farm products like food grains are picked up on time and transported nationwide, Indian Railways did record food grain loading of 112 rakes equivalent to 3.13 lakh tones on April 22.
The Ministry in a statement said that the total food grains loaded and transported by Indian Railways was 4.58 million tonnes as compared to 1.82 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year
In order to ensure that kitchens of all Indian homes continue to run normally, on a single day on 22nd April, Indian Railways did record food grain loading of 112 rakes equivalent to 3.13 lakh tonnes beating previous record of loading 92 rakes (2.57 lakh tonnes) on 9th April 2020 and 89 rakes (2.49 lakh tonnes ) on 14th April and again on 18th April, it said, adding that from April 1to 22, the total food grains loaded and transported by Indian Railways was 4.58 million tonnes as compared to 1.82 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
“Efforts have been made to ensure that farm products like food grains are picked up on time and also to ensure timely supply during the nationwide lock down,” it said.
The ministry further said that the loading, transportation and unloading of these essential commodities has been in progress in full swing during the lockdown period. “Close association is being maintained with Ministry of Agriculture,” it said.
It further said that Indian Railways continues to make all efforts to ensure availability of essential commodities like food grains through its freight services during the nationwide lock down due to Covid-19.
Meanwhile, all divisions and workshops of Northern Railways are working 24x7 to fight against COVID-19. In its continuation efforts to fight against COVID-19, leading from the front, it has already fabricated 6480 number of coverall for railway doctors and paramedics during the lockdown period till date with a record fabrication of 1005 in a single day on April 23.
A senior northern railways official said that apart from fabrication of coverall, Northern Railways workshops are also doing In-house production of masks, sanitisers and conversion of coaches into isolation wards.