Indian Railways is preparing to get its frontier staff vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has sent out a letter seeking list of ranks to be included in the list frontier staff, after seeing several members of its staff were infected by coronavirus while escorting shramik special trains.
Along with, ticket checkers, guards, booking counter staff, drivers, maintenance staff, inspectors, station staff and RPF, who get in touch with public and commuters should be vaccinated on priority, the list also includes constables, Director General, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Inspector General and like ranks, according to an IE report.
RPF’s letter was addressed to all the chief security commissioners, and S Shandilya, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) has of police of Railways, has asked to nominate nodal officer to provide list of frontline workers to be vaccinated on priority and who are at greater risk of exposure to virus.
“During a video conference with the ministry of health and family welfare (MoH and FW) the issue regarding inclusion of frontline workers of Indian Railways was raised. Before contacting MoH and FW, it shall be desirable the Indian Railways is able to finalise the list of its frontline workers. RPF personnel in the rank of ancillary staff fall in the category of frontline workers. You are requested to coordinate and get a list of frontline workers of RPF included in the list of frontline workers of Indian Railways for the purpose of vaccination programme against coronavirus,” mentions the letter.
So far 4548 of RPF staff have been found Covid-19 positive, of which 4413 have recovered, while 100 of them are still under treatment and isolation, while 33 of them have died due to coronavirus.
While 30,000 Indian Railway’s employees have been infected, killing 700 of them, worst effected were Mumbai-based central Railways region and Jaipur based, North-western railway zone.
“In the line of duty a lot of our colleagues either died or are still suffering aggravated conditions of various illness due to COVID-19. So while the train services get back to normal, insulating the frontline staff of Railways is very important,” said a senior Railway official.
The vaccination for railway officials will be conducted at various railways hospitals across the country, and hospitals are already preparing for it, Hindustan Times Reported.