Indian Railways took the unprecedented step of cancelling many long distance trains and local trains on 22nd March 2020. This was in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a ‘Janta Curfew.’ Back then, few could have guessed what was to come soon after.
On the evening of 22nd March, PM Modi once again appeared on TV. This time, he announced the shutting down of the country for 21 days. With the increase in cases unabated, Lockdown 2.0 was announced later. This time till May 3rd.
Indian Railways had to voluntarily shut down all its operations for the first time in 167 years. With no passenger services operating, coaches and locomotives began crowding stabling lines, workshops and sheds.
Lockdown Maintenance
While the assets were idle, maintenance depots and locomotive sheds were not. Operating with limited staff, sheds continued to look after the hard-working machines now enjoying a rare vacation at home.
Locomotives are being energized by shed staff on a daily basis, according to officials at the shed in Royapuram, Chennai. Security staff posted in the shed premises ensures that vandalism and theft during the lockdown are unlikely, they added.
Electric locomotive shed (ELS) at Arakkonam (AJJ) on Southern Railway has been busy disinfecting locomotives to ensure a safer working environment for loco pilots. Shed staffers also used the lockdown opportunity to complete inspection and maintenance schedules for many units over the past few weeks, according to officials.
The ELS at AJJ also maintains locomotives meant for goods trains. Despite the lockdown, 70% of these are in active service hauling goods services transporting essential commodities across the nation.
The locomotive shed at Erode near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu also has been trying to make the best of the situation. Inspection schedules have completed with a minimum number of staffers, say officials from the shed. 50% of the locomotives homed at the shed continue to be on active duty on goods trains.
The COVID-19 fight
Apart from the regular maintenance activity, locomotive sheds have also pitched in to produce hand sanitizers and masks for distribution to railway staffers from various departments.
Between Erode and Arakkonam ELSs, a total of over five thousand litres of hand sanitizer was produced in-house. Erode has also produced masks to help staffers guard against COVID-19 infections.
From Lockdown to Startup
With the lockdown due to end on 3rd May, sheds are already planning for life in the COVID-19 era.
Erode shed and its locomotives are already prepared to resume normal operations, according to shed staff. This is because maintenance schedules were properly attended to during the lockdown, they explained.
Meanwhile, officials at Arakkonam say that they are planning safety runs for locomotives in order to make sure everything is working as it should. These will likely be conducted when instructions to start operations come through.
Things may work out differently for Royapuram shed, situated in Chennai city. The shed area is under quarantine as of now. There is little clarity on when normalcy might be restored, say officials.
However, the general consensus is that the all maintenance sheds are likely to operate with 30% staff for some time to come. If this comes true, the coming months will likely be yet another test of the Indian Railways’ ability to rise to the occasion.
Photos Credit: Raj Bhavsar, Rahul Nivascar