BENGALURU: To ensure there is no shortage of food and essential commodities, workers in the Bengaluru, Mysuru and Hubballi Railway Divisions have ensured their distribution across districts in Karnataka after they were brought by freight trains. Loading and unloading of commodities like food grains, rice, wheat, salt, potato seeds, Petroleum Oil, Coal for thermal power generation and lubricant products were carried out.
According to an official release, during the last six days from March 21 to March 26, nine Petroleum Oil rakes, 3 LPG rakes, 7 rice rakes and one wheat rake and one salt rake were moved from Bengaluru Railway Division to districts of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru, Ramanagaram, Chikaballapur and Kolar. “7500 Tonnes of rice were unloaded at Whitefield, Krishnarajapuram and Mandya," the release stated.
In the Mysuru Division, five rakes were moved. They were loaded from Hassan to Navalur (Hubballi), Desur (Belgavi) and MNGT(Mysore). In addition, Mysore has received 5200 Tonnes of Petroleum products from other refineries which has been unloaded. 12 rakes of commodities comprising 6 rice rakes and 1 rake of wheat and 1 rake of potato seeds totalling 23,280 tonnes were also unloaded at Mysuru.
In Hubbali Division, 35 rakes of coal totalling 1.4 Lakh Tonnes have been unloaded for power generation at Kudgi and BTPK Kudathini. In addition 13 rakes of food grains amounting to 33,800 Tonnes have been unloaded from Navalur (Hubballi), FCI siding Hubballi, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Desur(Belgavi), Bellari, Koppal, Raibag and Gadag. 2 Petroleum rakes of 5,200 Tonnes have been handled at Vijayapura.
At all loading/unloading points, workers have been provided with masks and advised to wash hands thoroughly frequently, including before and after loading. Social distancing is also being ensured during loading and unloading of commodities, it added.