Indian Railways during the lockdown due to Covid-19, is relentlessly working to ensure availability of essential items by movement of Food grains, Coal for Power generation, fertilizers, petroleum products, LPG, cement, Iron ore etc. Railway is operating its freight train services throughout the country for smooth movement of said commodities.
To ensure that the homes and essential workplaces all over the country continue to run normally during the nationwide lockdown, food grains and essential commodities were transported to different part of the country. During the period from 24.3.2020 to 5.5.2020, SWR carried 270 Rakes (7,02,000 Tonnes) of food grains comprising of rice, wheat and paddy from different parts of the country to ensure adequate supply to the citizens of Karnataka. The food-grain rakes were handled at various depots of FCI including Whitefield, Krishnarajapuram, Ballari and Hubballi. Continuous monitoring of food-grain rakes was done at the highest level which includes members from Railways, State Government and FCI. In addition of 4 rakes (10,400 Tonnes) of potatoes were unloaded at Hassan and 10 rakes of sugar was moved from various sugar plants from South Western Railway.
SWR carried 120 rakes (3,12,000 Tonnes) of fertilizers for the agricultural products of the farmers in Karnataka. Fertilizers was unloaded at Mysuru New Goods Terminal, Mandya, KDAG (Tumkur), Hassan, Amaravati Colony (Davangere), Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Navalur (Hubballi), Vijayapura, Desur (Belagavi) Koppal, etc. during this lockdown period.
In spite of the lockdown and stoppage of construction activities, SWR could deal with 49 rakes (1,27,400 Tonnes) of cement. The cement unloading will now pickup since the construction activities in the rural construction sector are now permitted. Cement rakes were unloaded at Doddaballapur, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Navalur (Hubballi), Desur (Belagavi).
A total of 90 rakes (2,34,000 tonnes) of POL was unloaded on South Western Railway. POL was mainly handled at stations like Desur (Belagavi), Navalur (Hubballi), Vijayapura, Devanagonthi, Mysuru New Goods Terminal and no shortage of POL was seen in any of the areas of Karnataka.
Export / Import Containers: A total of 70 container rakes carrying various export traffic were loaded and almost 70 container rakes of import traffic was handled at Inland Container Depots. A total of 61 rakes (1,52,500 Tonnes) of steel were loaded from JSW Steel/Toranagallu of Hubballi Division.
Due to the efforts of Government of Karnataka, once the Iron Ore mining permission was given to NMDC and subsequently to MMEC and other Iron Ore mine owners, SWR was able to move 128 rakes (5,12,000 Tonnes) of Iron Ore from Donimalai area of Bellary District and Chitradurga District.
During lock down, loading of 250 rakes coal and 15 rakes limestone were done at Goa Port. 410 rakes (16,40,000 Tonnes) of coal was moved for thermal power generation at NTPC/Kudgi Plant, JSW Steel Plant, West Coast Paper Mills/Dandeli and BMM Power cum Steel Plant near Vyasa Colony.
In addition, around 25 rakes of limestone, 3 rakes of Pig Iron, 1 rake of D Oil Cake, 1 rake of salt, 2 rakes of slag were also handled.
All out efforts have been made by the national transporter to ensure that all commodities are picked up on time as well as also to ensure timely supply of commodities during the nationwide lockdown period due to COVID-19 outbreak. Close coordination is being maintained with the State Govt. to ensure smooth loading and unloading and dispatch of commodities at all stations on SWR.
