First Oxygen Express arrived at Nagpur Station on 23.04.2021 and from 23.04.2021 to 15.05.2021 Six Oxygen Express arrived at Nagpur station.
The following Staff and Officers of the Nagpur Division were fully devoted to unloading of oxygen Tankers from Oxygen Express trains.
1. D.S. Nagdeve, Station Director, NagpurStation, Covid Warriors Duty on “Oxygen Express”
The second wave of the Covd-19 pandemic began in March 2021, with the most tests being conducted in Maharashtra and there was no room for patients in the Hospital and there was an acute shortage of oxygen.
Without oxygen, patients were dying, in the condition of AC wicked, The Ministry of Railways pledged to transport oxygen by trains. In this, I along with a railway servant got involved like a Covid warrior.
There is no goods shed and no siding in Nagpur. But under the able guidance of Divisional Railway Manager Mrs. Richa Khare, Additional Divisional RailwayManager (Operations) Mr. Anoop Satpathy, Senior Divisional Operations Manager,Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, there was a ramp at the Coal-One siding at Nagpur Goods Yard, through which VP loading / unloading, the parcel used to move. It was a joint survey and ready. In this, all the departments joined together, especially the Carriage and Wagon, Engineering,Electricity, Commercial and Operations departments. As soon as it was learned that the first Oxygen Express was going to reach Nagpur on 23.04.2021, we trial the first water tank filled on 22.05.2021 and the trial was successful. The first oxygen train arrived at Nagpur station on 23.04.2021 at 20.12 pm. To welcome Oxygen Express,all the print and electronic media of Nagpur have covered the Oxygen Express.
After taking out all the safety measures, 3 tankers were cut from Oxygen Express and unloaded at Nagpur in the presence of Media and 4 tankers were sent to Nashik at 21.55 hrs. NMC got help to fill the air in the tyres of the trucks, in which Additional Commissioner NMC Shri Jalaj Sharma always supported.
We were very happy to unload the oxygen tanker at Nagpur station with the tireless efforts of the railway staff, the people of Nagpur were the first to get oxygen. We are fortunate that we provide oxygen to the patients without oxygen. We have received Oxygen Express on 9/5/21 (4 Tankers), on 7/5/2021 (4 Tankers), on 11.5.2021 (4 Tankers), on12.5.2021 (4 Tankers) and on 14.5.2021 (4 Tankers) and on 15.05.2021 (4 Tankers) and Oxygen was supplied by sending these tankers to Nagpur and surrounding areas by NMC.
Similarly, on 16.05.2021, 08 empty tankers were loaded and sent to Angul on 17.05.2021 at 00.30 hrs. for refilling.
My senior officers and all supervisors / inspectors got a lot of support in this work and we are happy that we railway servants are not behind to serve the Nation in this epidemic. As the Station Director of this station, it is my duty to provide good service to the passengers during this pandemic and give full support in the supply of oxygen.
2. Shri Atul Shrivastava Dy. Station Manager (Commercial)
All the oxygen expresses that have come to Nagpur station so far, as a Commercial Supervisor,help them in discharging the tankers filled with liquid oxygen and sending them to the steel plant for loading the empty tankers, except for my job related work. Neither does it seem like my involvement in helping the needy.
Another aspect of this task is that the drivers sitting on the tankers being transported sometimes do not even have any food; I feel complacent by arranging their meals at such times.
All the work was done under the guidance of Divisional Railway Manager, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Personal presence of Shri Jalaj Sharma, Additional Commissioner, NMC Nagpur was highly appreciable and motivational booster dose for the working force.
3) Shri Pravin Rokde, Passenger Amenity Supervisor
Shri Pravin Rokde Passenger Amenity Supervisor from Commercial branch, keeps close coordination with the staff of other departments of Railway like Mechanical, Electrical, Engineering departments. Also coordinated with the state authorities NMC. Under able guidance of the Sr. DCM Shri Krishnath Patil, looked after the arrangements for unloading and loading of the Oxygen tanker from the wagons at Nagpur station. in reply he said, it was a wonderful experience to work for Oxygen train since the citizens of Nagpur are struggling for the want of oxygen to the Covid-19 affected patients. Local authorities are also going through difficult situations due to deficiency of oxygen. It was a very pleasant experience to work for an oxygen train and feels like a great opportunity to work to survive the life of the citizens and serve the nation during Pandemic.
