New Delhi: As Indian Railways continues its service across the nation amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the vaccination drive for its staff members has also started. Around 4.32 lakh Railwaymen have been vaccinated so far in all the zones, informed a top official on Monday.
Railways is in touch with various state governments, urging them to "quickly" take action and inoculate the remaining staff, he added.
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While addressing a presser, Chairman Railway Board (CRB) Suneet Sharma said, "Indian Railways has so far vaccinated 4.32 lakh employees. We are already in touch with state governments for vaccination for the balance staff. The first stage was of the 45 years and above and the frontline workers like medical staff and RPF. They have all been completed. Now the thrust and emphasis would be on 18 to 45 years."
He asserted, "We are in touch with the states, number one, to finish the 45 years and above group of people, as now, not many are left of the Railway employees. Secondly, to quickly cover our 18-45 group of people in different states."
The Railway official further added, "We are in touch with the states, our DRMs and General Managers have flagged this issue as the railways carry essential commodities, also running the Oxygen Expresses with requirements of coach passengers. We have been insisting on state governments to quickly take action in inoculating our people so that they get vaccinated fast."
Read:| 1,952 Railway employees lost their lives due to Covid since March, 2020
Replying over the reports of demands from various sectors of Railways regarding their vaccination drive, Sharma stated that so far Railways' has not received any such formal demand from any of the sector and Railways itself is in discussion with its employees and also assured them that as quickly as possible, they will get them vaccinated.
This comes after the Railway Union, All India Station Masters’ Association had raised the issue. In a letter to the Union Health Secretary, the association gave the government an ultimatum of June 30 to vaccinate the “frontline” railway employees involved in train operations. The letter stated that if the government fails to do so, the non-vaccinated staff will have no option other than abstaining from duty.
During the press conference, Ministry of Railways Spokesperson DJ Narain also clarified that Railways cannot decide on who should be designated as 'frontline workers' as it is being decided by a specially formed committee within the government.
Explaining about Railways preparations during the Covid-19 crisis, Sharma said, "We have opened our vaccination centres. Railways has more than 100 vaccination centres for our employees. As far as the facilities are concerned, earlier we had only 2,539 covid beds for our people till last year, which are now 6,972 beds. There were 63 ventilators which now have been increased to 296. We have also added oxygen concentrators and medicines."
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Earlier, Railways had informed that a total number of 1,952 of its employees have succumbed to coronavirus pandemic since its outbreak in March 2020 and approximately 1000 railwaymen get infected by Covid every day on average.
