Vijayawada Division serves over 10.9 Lakh migrants on their journey back to home on Shramik Specials

Several NGOs join hands & played the role of Food Samaritans by providing more than 1.2 lakh meals to 90 Shramik Specials across the Division amidst Covid-19 Crisis.

South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division has successfully distributed free meals to over 10.90 Lakh migrants on their journey back to home on 753 Shramik Specials passing through the Division till 14th june, 2020. In response to the call from Ministry of Railways to serve the guest workers on Shramik Specials, Vijayawada Division partnered with IRCTC to serve the needy from its base kitchens on the Division, to serve the food and water to migrants at all important junctions like Nellore, Gudur, Ongole, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry and Samalkot to achieve this exceptional feat. Vijayawada Division tops in the food supply to migrants among all other Divisions in the South Central Railway zone. Because of its strategic location connecting to every nook & corner of the country, more than 25 Shramik trains are being dealt by the Division every day with well planned catering arrangements to all the guest workers on board at important junctions.

Supporting this novel initiative, many renowned & Local NGOs came to fore by voluntarily providing 1.2 lakh meals/ snack packs to Guest workers on 90 Shramik Trains across the Division. Especially NGOs like Amrutha Hastham, Rangaraya Alumni of 1979, Amaravati Runners did indispensable service by responding positively every time with in short notice and rendering succor to nearly 25 trains till date. Other NGOs, firms & individuals of Vijayawada like Satya Sai Seva Samithi, Bezawada Panthers, Amaravati, Asajyothi Youth Engagement, Sha Nathmal & Co, Hotel Fortune Murali, Doctors' Association, Zariya Foundation, Jain Samaj, Samara Sata Sewa, Amaravati Round table, Sarah foundation, Green Meadows, Samskriti Sewa samiti, & Vadsundhara Diamiond roof  have voluntarily come forward to serve the migrants with free food and water at Vijayawada till date. At Rajahmundry, Keasavabhatla Charitable Trust & ISKCON, Jain Sewa Samiti, provided food to the migrants. RSS Volunteers, Audi Sankara Edicuational Institutions at Gudur & Iskcon Food Relief Foundation at Nellore have come forward to serve the migrants. Despite supply & labour constraints, unscheduled running nature of Specials & huge reuirement in numbers, NGOs efficiently pooled all the resources to ensure no one goes hungry on their way back to home..  This has also earned the gratitude & respect from the migrants towards Railways & organizations.

The initiative also saw coming together of all the Railway personnel and Departments across the Division to contribute their bit in helping out the needy. SCRWWO, ACMS/BZA, Station Director, Sr.DEN/N, Sr.DCM, Sr. DME, & Sr. DOM & staff from all departments (ranging from Commercial, Mechanical, Operating, Engineering, Signal & Telecommunication and Workshops among others) have voluntarily come forward to provide food to the migrants on several Shramik trains every day during the lockdown.

The commendable service rendered by several NGOs and Voluntary bodies to meet the food requirements of migrant workers travelling by Shramik Special trains was widely appreciated. These NGO’s also thanked the support & assistance of Station Director, Vijayawada, RPF Team, Station Supervisors & License Porters at Rajahmundry, Nellore, Gudur & Samalkot in distribution of meals & snack packs in quick time by strictly adhering to social distancing norms.

Shri P Srinivas, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada was effusive in his praise of all the organizations, whose generosity and personal involvement helped the railways a lot in this hour of need. DRM also complimented the Divisional officials for maintaining close liaison with the NGOs and Voluntary organizations at local levels, which effectively led to results in an emergent situation. He advised all the Railway personnel to continue with the initiative so as to assist the vulnerable sections in these critical times and contribute with their bit in the effort.