Western Railway has taken all measures to ensure that the public in general, as well as the suppliers can be benefited from the services that the railway is able to provide. The parcel trains of WR are serving the people by mass transportation of essential items as well as medicines, medical equipment, food grains etc. This initiative has helped in keeping the national supply chains running, as goods can be transported from one place to another. Thus the interest of the people, as well as the commercial clients is taken proper care of. In continuation to this, two more parcel special trains with total 4 trips have been scheduled to run by Western Railway.
Two more parcel special trains with 2 trips each are planned to run between Karambeli – New Guwahati and Kankaria – Cuttack. Details of the trains are as follows :-
● Karambeli – New Guwahati Parcel special train (2 trips)
Train No 00903 Karambeli – New Guwahati parcel special train will leave Karambeli at 18.00 hrs on 11th June, 2020 & will reach New Guwahati on 13th June, 2020 at 15.30 hrs. Similarly, Train No 00904 New Guwahati – Karambeli parcel special train will leave New Guwahati on 14th June, 2020 at 05.00 hrs & will reach Karambeli at 03.20 hrs on 16th June, 2020. The train will halt at Bhusaval Jn, Khandwa, Itarsi Jn, Jabalpur, Katni, Satna, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn, Patliputra, Sonpur, Katihar, New Jalpaiguri and New Bongaigaon stations in both directions.
● Kankaria – Cuttack Parcel special train (2 trips)
Train No 00941 Kankaria – Cuttack parcel special train will leave Kankaria at 18.30 hrs on 13th June 2020 to reach Cuttack at 02.30 hrs on 15th June 2020. Similarly, Train No 00942 Cuttack – Kankaria parcel special train will leave Cuttack at 19.30 hrs on 16th June 2020 to reach Kankaria at 03.15 hrs on 18th June, 2020. The train will halt at Anand, Ratlam, Ujjain, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Bina, Katni Murwara, Bilaspur, Jharsuguda Rd, Sambalpur City and Talcher Rd stations in both directions.
Since 23rd March to 9th June, 2020, commodities weighing approx. 53 thousand tonnes have been transported by Western Rly through its 321 parcel special trains, which included agricultural produce, medicines, fish, milk etc. The earnings generated through this transportation, has been approx Rs 16.91 crore. During this period, forty milk special trains were run by Western Rly, with a load of more than 29 thousand tonnes and 100% utilization of the wagons, generating revenue of approx Rs 5.10 crore. Similarly, 276 Covid-19 special parcel trains with a load of approx 21 thousand tonnes were also run to transport essential commodities, for which the revenue earned was Rs 10.74 crore. In addition to this, 5 indented rakes carrying 2378 tonnes were also run with 100% utilization generating revenue of more than Rs 1.07 crore. He informed that five parcel special trains, including a milk rake left from WR on 10th June, 2020, viz. Bandra Terminus – Okha, Okha – Bandra Terminus, Bandra Terminus – Ludhiana and Porbandar – Shalimar. He apprised that during the lockdown period from 22nd March till 9th June, 2020, total 5902 rakes of goods trains have been used by WR to supply essential commodities amounting to 11.72 million tonnes. 11,620 freight trains have been interchanged with other zonal railways, in which 5,850 trains were handed over and 5,770 trains taken over at different interchange points. 322 Millennium Parcel rakes of Parcel Vans/ Railway Milk Tankers (RMTs) have been sent to different parts of the country to supply as per the demands of essential items such as milk powder, liquid milk and other general consumer goods.
LOSS OF PASSENGER EARNINGS DUE TO LOCKDOWN
The total loss of earnings over Western Railway on account of Corona Virus, has been over Rs 1247 crore, which includes Rs 177.43 crore for suburban section and Rs 1069.80 crore for non-suburban. Inspite of this, resulting to cancellation of tickets till now, Western Railway has ensured to return refund amount of Rs. 325.50 crore. It’s worth mentioning that in this refund amount, Mumbai division alone, has ensured refund of Rs 151.93 crore. Till now, 49.87 lakh passengers have cancelled their tickets over entire Western Railway & have received their refund amount accordingly.