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Arun Kumar Das
Apr 22, 2020, 11:12 AM | Updated 11:12 AM IST
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Waging a relentless war against the pandemic that has caused so much tragedy around the world, IRCTC, a railway subsidiary, is leading from the front in extending a helping hand to the frontline corona warriors by providing them clean potable water in the trying summer time.
After activating all its base kitchens for preparing free meals, now the catering PSU of Indian Railways has started to provide 10,000 water bottles per day to the Delhi Police personnel who have been out on the streets on the fight against COVID-19 contagion.
Braving hot summers and trying conditions on ground, these police men have worked round the clock to not only ensure that lockdown is implemented as required but also accompany the doctors and paramedics in various locations in challenging circumstances.
Supporting these frontline warriors like policemen is not only a mark of tribute to these tireless officials but is also a natural extension of on going efforts of Indian Railways to supplement the national efforts in combating the novel coronavirus spread.
Under this initiative Indian Railways with the help of its PSU (IRCTC) has started free distribution of 10,000 Rail Neer water bottles per day in New Delhi from April 16.
These 10,000 Railneer water bottles are of one litre pack each which are being produced at the Rail Neer plant at Nangloi.
Till now IRCTC has distributed about 50,000 Rail Neer water bottles at various spots in the national capital, according to IRCTC.
Rail Neer, the packaged water, is being manufactured by IRCTC at about 10 locations across the country and available at all stations.
Since the lockdown due to the coronavirus scare has deep impact on Indian industry and buisness sector causing unprecedented pressure on economy, all Rail Neer plants are also being closed down.
However, a senior IRCTC official involved with Rail Neer production is hopeful that the stock at Nangloi plant is expected to last upto May 3, the last dateline of the extended lockdown.
We will manage to supply water bottles till May 3 from Nangloi, said the official adding the coronavirus crisis has left the industry in deep turmoil.
Indian Railways with the help of rail organizations like IRCTC, RPF, Zonal Railways and others have worked tirelessly to keep alive the Railways’ commitment of fight against the COVID in an integrated manner.
It may be noted that Indian Railways is selflessly and voluntarily providing hot cooked meals to needy people after the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Railways has been providing bulk cooked food with paper plates for lunch and food packets for dinner through IRCTC base kitchens, RPF resources and contribution of NGOs. Distribution of free hot cooked meals by Indian Railways during the national lockdown due to COVID-19 has crossed the two million mark already.
Arun Kumar Das is a senior journalist covering railways. He can be contacted at akdas2005@gmail.com.