Shri Piyush Goyal reviews the preparations of Indian Railways in supplementing national efforts for fighting COVID-19
Shri Piyush Goyal reviews the preparations of Indian Railways in supplementing national efforts for fighting COVID-19
Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal reviews the preparations of Indian Railways in supplementing national efforts for fighting COVID-19
For the first time in history, not a single passenger lost their life in last twelve months in a railway accident; Now we are working to make sure that COVID-19 has least impact on India : Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal Directs the officials to reach out to needy people with food and other assistance
Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal has directed the officials of Indian Railways to reach out to needy people with food and other assistance to the best of their human abilities and resources. Railway Organizations like IRCTC and RPF are already engaged in distribution of free meals to the needy persons. The Minister said that Railways should widen the outreach of their efforts and go beyond the proximities of railways stations to deeper areas in consultation with district authorities and NGOs etc. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Railways Shri Suresh Angadi, members of the Railway Board, GMs and heads of PSUs from across the nation, who linked up through video conferencing.
Complimenting the Railways for extraordinary work being done so far in the fight against Corona and adopting innovative solutions like conversion of passenger coaches as isolation coaches, Shri Piyush Goyal expressed confidence that all the zones will meet the challenge of making these coaches fully ready and would be equipped at the earliest. It may be noted that work on conversion of first lot of 5000 coaches has already started in a phased manner
Railway Board officials informed the Minister that following Prime Minister’s call to the nation, a contribution of Rs 151 crore was being made to PM CARE fund. Chairman Railway Board Shri Vinod Kumar Yadav informed that Employees of Indian Railways and Rail PSUs took a decision to forego one day’s salary and contribute to the PM CARE Fund. Many Railway PSUs are also planning to contribute to the fund to bolster the national efforts.
While reviewing the running of special Parcel Trains by Railways to supply important items, Shri Piyush Goyal asked the officials to make the service available on more routes so that goods like medicines, essential equipments, edibles can be supplied all over the country in a quick time. E- Commerce companies and suppliers of other important goods which are needed in smaller quantities, are going to benefit from the parcel trains. Parcel special trains are already running on 8 routes and 20 more are in the pipe line in different zones.
Shri Piyush Goyal said that the next few weeks are critical in the fight against Corona virus and a determined effort by all of us would ensure that the nation wins the fight.
The Minister said that for the first time in history, not a single passenger lost their life in last twelve months in a railway accident. Now we are working to ensure that COVID 19 has least impact on India.
Here’s a detailed overview of how Shri Piyush Goyal, then Minister of Railways (also Commerce & Industry), reviewed and guided Indian Railways’ COVID‑19 preparedness:
Contents
🚉 Piyush Goyal’s Strategic Reviews & Directives
🗓️ March 18, 2025 – First National-Level Review
Piyush Goyal chaired a video conference with Railway Board members, all Zonal GMs, and DRMs to assess Railways’ COVID‑19 readiness. Key outcomes included:
- Establishment of Rapid Response Teams at Railway Board and across all zones
- Launch of an online dashboard for real-time monitoring of preparedness measures
- Creation of quarantine facilities, enhanced sanitization of coaches, stations, and toilets
- Deployment of help desks at stations with state government partnership
- Staff advisories on social distancing, hygiene practices, and discouraging mass gatherings
- Increase of platform ticket prices (up to ₹50) in crowded locations to reduce over-crowding
📅 April 1, 2025 – Follow-Up Review
At a central meeting, Goyal applauded ongoing efforts and directed Railways to:
- Expand distribution of free meals beyond station premises, targeting vulnerable communities
- Accelerate conversion of 5,000 passenger coaches into isolation wards (first phase underway)
- Scale up time‑tabled parcel trains from existing 8 routes to multiple additional routes to expedite delivery of medicines, essentials, and support e‑commerce last-mile supply chains
📅 March – April 2025 – Performance Review & Recognition
In two critical press releases, Piyush Goyal reflected on how Railways emerged stronger post‑COVID:
March 26, 2025
- Called FY2025–21 the “most challenging year”, yet showcased transformational resilience
- Highlighted record-high 1,223 million tonnes freight loading, fastest-ever electrification of 5,900 km, and maintained 96% punctuality rate
- Acknowledged zero casualty rail passenger train accidents over twelve months—unprecedented in Indian Railways’ history
April 3, 2021
- Thanked the “Rail Parivaar” for selfless service during COVID, including operations of 4,621 Shramik Special trains, transporting over 63 lakh stranded citizens
- Credited railways for uninterrupted supply of coal, fertilizers, and food grains, fueling national economic continuity
- Treated crisis as opportunity—initiating long‑pending maintenance and infrastructure projects during lockdown, setting new operational benchmarks
📋 Summary Table
| Date | Key Initiative / Focus |
|---|---|
| Mar 18, 2025 | Nationwide preparedness review: dashboards, quarantine setups, sanitization, crowd control |
| Apr 1, 2025 | Advocated food distribution, coach isolation conversions, parcel train expansion |
| Mar 26, 2025 | Assessed pandemic year performance: freight, infrastructure, electrification, safety records |
| Apr 3, 2025 | Commended Rail Parivaar: Shramik Specials, essential supplies, record-breaking freight, operational resilience |
🧠 Significance of His Leadership
- Policy Direction & Coordination: Brought together zonal and Railway Board leaders to unify and mobilize pandemic response at scale
- Innovation and Agility: Facilitated rapid conversion of coaches into isolation units and launched new logistics (parcel trains, dashboards)
- Amplification of Railways’ National Role: Positioned Railways as a frontline public health responder—managing stranded migrants, supplying essentials, and sustaining economic lifelines
- Celebration of Staff: Reinforced institutional morale by publicly thanking employees and highlighting their sacrifices in official communications
Piyush Goyal’s reviews and directives helped transform Indian Railways into a robust support system during the pandemic—balancing logistics, healthcare, safety, and socioeconomic priorities effectively.
Would you like a deeper dive into one of these specific initiatives, such as the isolation coach conversions, parcel train roll-out, or dashboard operational features?