Freight trains bring 2,500t of foodgrain to TN from Odisha

Railways Looking At Other Routes

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2020

The rice that you may be buying from a neighbourhood market or a public distribution shop till the curfew is on would most likely have come by freight trains from Odisha.

Two days after the 21-day lockdown kicked in, several tonnes of rice from Jeypore in Odisha reached Arakkonam goods shed near the city.

As movement of trucks have been halted across the country slowing down supply of commodities, the railways has stepped in to transport food grain, paddy and other essentials through its network, which is now free of passenger trains.

Freight trains brought 2,500tonnes of food grain, mostly rice and paddy, to Chennai on March 26. Around 15,000 tonnes of coal was loaded and taken out of the city.

The trains are anchoring at goods sheds at Arakkonam, Changalpet and Katpadi near Chennai. The railways will be operating 18 to 20 trains to and from the city every day. The rice, most of it meant for Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns, is being unloaded at Arakkonam while paddy from Thanjavur is being unloaded at Chengalpet.

Grain and paddy were brought by freight trains to Erode, Tiruppur, Salem, Trichy, Thanjavur, Nagercoil and Dindigul as well.

Railways will also use its freight trains to transport essential commodities like vegetables, dairy products, sugar, salt, petroleum products, coal, fertilizers and others.

A senior official said, “Steps have been taken to ensure that workers can come in for work at goods sheds inspite of the lockdown. They have fixed timings of work from 6am to 5pm when unloading takes place. The trains arrive as per their schedule even at night as all operational staff are working.”

Across the zone, goods trains unloaded around 57,000tonne of food grains, petroleum product, lignite and coal at different sheds in the southern zone.

The railways is also looking at operating goods trains on sections where they are not operated usually, in case of a need. “If the need arises to run goods trains on these sections, our employees will be recalled for duty in order to maintain all essential services,” said a statement from the railways.

SMOOTH SUPPLY: The trains are offloading at goods sheds at Arakkonam, Chengalpet and Katpadi, all close to Chennai