Northern Railways is loading 40 sets of food grain trains a day, which is more than double the average of 15 sets of trains, said an official statement.

This despite the challenges of moving labour and shortage of trucks, making available enough trains in Punjab and Haryana, among others.

There was a sudden increase in load because government had allowed states to load three months of grains in credit.

Over 70 per cent of foodgrain traffic originated from Punjab and Haryana, which are in Northern Railway zone.

Moving workers

Immediately after lockdown, Northern Railway and Food Corporation of India faced challenges regarding movement of labour and trucks, it admitted.

So, during the lockdown period staff from house to control centres and office are being moved through emergency vehicles and workman special trains. Workman specials are trains that move only railway officials to their workplace.

Operating officers of Northern and a few other zones are working day and night along with 450 section controllers, 5000 station masters, 400 Guards, 200 shunting staff, 3000 pointsmen and about 1000 crew to ensure unloading and loading at terminals despite shortage of labour, and/or trucks and restrictions on movements.

To ensure labour availability at terminals, Northern Railway officials engaged in railway operations are constantly coordinating with District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police at district level, state coordinating officers, and with Ministry of Home Affairs at apex level.

Arranging staff and keeping them motivated through the week amidst tough working conditions due to COVID 19 has also been a tough task for officers.

Traffic surge

Surge in traffic to meet food grain distribution to 80 crore public distribution system beneficiaries in coordination was not an easy task.

There was a need of enhanced foodgrain loading from Punjab and Haryana and speedy dispatch to deficient states was the need as government had announced to provide additional 15 kg of grains per beneficiary free of cost. Government had also allowed states to lift three months food grains in advance on credit.

Over Northern Railway, 70 per cent of foodgrain traffic is originated from the states of Punjab and Haryana. Due to nationwide lockdown, it was a big challenge to transport the foodgrain to other parts of the country.

Managing adequate supply of empty covered sets of trains -- which were scattered across the country -- and moving them to Punjab and Haryana proved a big challenge, said the Northern Railways.

Prior planning is being done with Food Corporation of India for arranging destinations as per requirement in states.

Since March 25, Northern Railway has moved about six lakh tonnes of wheat and rice (double the average of previous fortnight) to 13 deficient states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Telangana.

Efforts from. Northern, along with other zones, is able to move upto about two lakh tonnes of grains in 75 rakes per day which is the highest ever lifting of foodgrains by Indian Railways. Of this, over 70 per cent is from Northern Railways.

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