The national carrier is still running on wheels in order to ensure proper availability of essentials and infrastructural requirements of the the nation. In order to maintain a healthy chain of supplies to the key elements of the society, Indian Railways has roped in its wagon wheels. Not to mention, that when all the wheels across the nation came to stand still after the announcement of complete lockdown, these wagon wheels are the only ones running across the nation, ensuring proper supply chain maintenance for some of the key sectors. Supply chain in common parlance is nothing but ensuring proper flow of goods and subsidiaries from the point of production to the end users or point of utilisation. Maintaining a healthy supply chain is quiet essential in times where we need to restrict a population of 1.3 billion inside their respective houses.
In this endeavour, Indian Railway has focused on prime 3 sectors in terms of ensuring better supply chain maintenance through wagon trains. These include:
- Power: Due to relentless operations of Railways, all power plants and Petroleum depots have comfortable stock with them inspite of COVID 19 lock downDue to relentless operations of Railways, all power plants and Petroleum depots have comfortable stock with them inspite of COVID 19 lock down
- Transport: Transport of key goods and raw materials across the nation.
- Key Infrastructure Sectors: From 23rd March to 3rd April 2020, Railways has transported more than 2.5 lakh wagons of coal and 17742 wagons of petroleum products.
Inspite of lockdown related challenges, Railway staff keeps delivering the results against all odds. During the situation of lockdown, Indian Railways staff deployed at various good sheds, stations and control offices continued working with full devotion to ensure that the supply of essential items for these critical sectors does not gets affected.
During last 12 days from 23rd March to 3rd April 2020, Railways loaded and carried 250020 wagons of coal, and 17742 wagons of petroleum products (One wagon contains 58-60 ton consignment). Details are as follows:
| Sl.
No. |
Date |
No. of wagons of
coal |
No. of wagons of petroleum products |
|
1. |
23.03.2020 | 22473 |
2322 |
|
2. |
24.03.2020 | 24207 |
1774 |
|
3. |
25.03.2020 | 20418 | 1704 |
|
4. |
26.03.2020 | 20784 | 1724 |
|
5. |
27.03.2020 | 20488 |
1492 |
| 6. | 28.03.2020 | 20519 |
1270 |
| 7. | 29.03.2020 | 20904 |
1277 |
| 8. | 30.03.2020 | 21628 |
1414 |
|
9. |
31.03.2020 | 28861 | 1292 |
| 10. | 01.04.2020 | 14078 |
1132 |
|
11. |
02.04.2020 | 18186 |
1178 |
| 12. | 03.04.2020 | 17474 |
1163 |
|
Total |
250020 |
17742 |
To monitor the uninterrupted movement of materials fuelling the power, transport and infrastructure sectors and other essential commodities over Indian Railways, an emergency freight control centre is working in the Ministry of Railways. Freight movement is being closely monitored by officials at very senior level. Issues which were earlier being faced by Railways at many terminal points in loading and unloading operations are being effectively resolved. Indian Railways along with Ministry of Home affairs is keeping in touch with State Governments to sort out any such operational issue if they arise.
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