Licensed Porters (Railway Coolies) are engaged by Railways to help the Railway Passengers for shifting their personal belongings in railway premises duly collecting the porterage charges as prescribed by Railway authorities, which is their livelihood.
With the outbreak of pandemic Covid-19, to contain its spread, all the regular Passenger carrying trains have been cancelled. To meet the emergency needs only few special trains are being operated. As none of the special train are either originating or terminating from Kacheguda Station, the income of licensed porters working at this station is affected.
Officers & Staff of Headquarters Commercial branch have come forward generously to lend a helping hand to the Licensed Coolie Porters working at Kacheguda Railway station of Hyderabad division. Accordingly, they have voluntarily contributed money on charity basis and purchased essential items for distribution to the Licensed Porters working at Kacheguda Station.
The essential items include Rice, Dal, Oil Packets, Atta, Salt, Soaps, mask, sanitizer and other grocery items along with minimum cash has been distributed to around 70 Licensed Porters working at Kacheguda Railway Station. All the essential items are packed in environment friendly bio reusable Jute bags.
Shri G. John Prasad, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, SCR, Shri K.R.K. Reddy, Chief Commercial Manager, Catering and Passenger Service, Shri K. Sambasiva Rao, Chief Commercial Manager, Passenger Marketing and commercial branch officers and staff from Zonal Head Quarters and Hyderabad Division were present during the distribution. All the necessary safety measures like weaning of mask, maintain physical distance and extensive use of sanitizers was followed while participating in the distribution process.
Speaking on this occasion, Shri G.John Prasad, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, SCR, suggested all the license porters to make use of various welfare oriented schemes announced by both Central and State Governments for their well-being. He advised them to take all the necessary preventive safety measures like wearing masks, using of sanitizers and maintaining social distance etc., to fight against Covid-19.He also assured them that the Railways will always extend all the possible assistance in the need of the hour for the benefit of the Licensed Porters and their families.
Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager expressed his happiness for the gesture extended by the Officers and staff of Headquarters Commercial branch for the noble cause. Such kind of initiatives during the current pandemic situation will certainly ease out the hardship facing by the Licensed porters, he said.