Agra rly staff raises Rs 20 lakh for kin of Covid victims

LUCKNOW: Setting an example of comradeship, 1,500 staff members of Agra railway operation section have raised Rs 20.6 lakh within 15 days for the families of 10 employees who succumbed to coronavirus infection during second wave of the pandemic in April and May.

The deceased included station master, train guard, pointsman and other staff of Agra division of Indian Railway.

The initiative was taken by senior divisional operations manager (SrDOM), Akanshu Govil (IRTS), who appealed the railway staff of all grades to extend monetary help for the families of Covid-19 victims. Total of Rs 20.6 lakh was collected and each family was given Rs 2.06 lakh.

“We lost our dear ones in the pandemic but railway staff of Agra division stood by us in the need of hour. They raised money for us and helped us in documentation for compensation and pension —that too in just one day,” said former rail guard Rashid Beg, whose son Ahmad Beg (42), a train guard at Agra Cantt station, died of Covid-19 on April 20.

He is survived by his wife and three minor children, including two daughters.

Similarly, deputy station superintendent of Agra Cantt, CP Singh (44), passed away in ambulance while waiting for a ventilator-supported bed. His father-in-law, Bijendra Singh, said: “The death of my son-in-law was a big trauma for us, especially for my daughter Krishna Singh. We were overwhelmed by the support by railway staff.” He thanked SrDOM Akanshu Govil for the initiative, Bindu Yadav for compiling documents for pension and Agra Cantt station master Mukesh Kulshrestha and colleagues for their support.

Talking to TOI, SrDOM Akanshu Govil said, “The second wave made a huge impact on our staff and their families. Therefore, we started a fund-raising campaign in which everyone, from Class A officers to Grade IV employees, contributed. Last year too, we raised Rs 3.8 lakh for the family of station master who succumbed to coronavirus infection.”

The victims included station manager of Pithauli station NK Roy, deputy station superintendent of Agra Cantt CP Singh, train guard Ahmad Beg, pointsman at Agra Cantt Subodh Kumar, shunting master Shrikrishna, deputy SS Bansi Paharpur station Bharat Raj Meena, deputy passenger guard Manikant Singh, deputy SS Agra Fort station Ashok Kumar, deputy SS of Mirhakur station Shyam Singh and CHC, Agra Cantt, Rajesh Shukla.


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