LUCKNOW: 1,500 staff of Agra railway operation section raised Rs 20.60 lakh within 15 days for families of 10 employees who succumbed to Covid-19 infection during the peak months of second wave.
The deceased included station master, train guard, pointsman and other staff of railway Agra division.
Initiative was taken by senior divisional operation manager (SrDOM) Akanshu Govil (IRTS), who appealed railway staff of all grade to extend monetarily help for families of fallen comrades.
Each family was given Rs 2.06 lakh.
“We did lose our dear ones in the pandemic, but railway staff of Agra division stood by us in the need of hour.
They voluntarily raised money for us and also helped in documentation of railway compensation and pension—that too in just one day,” said former rail guard Rasid Beg, whose son Ahamd Beg was also train guard at Agra Cantt station.
Ahmad (42) succumbed to corona infection on April 20 on the way to hospital while he was gasping for oxygen.
He was survived by three minor children including two daughters and wife.
Similarly, Bijendra Singh father-in-law of CP Singh (44), the deputy station superintendent of Agra Cantt who passed away in ambulance while waiting for ventilator supported bed in Agra based hospitals said, “Death of my son-in-law was a biggest trauma for us specially for my daughter Krishna Singh.
The couple were married for more than decade but didn’t had child.” “However, we were overwhelmed by immense support by railway staff including SrDOM Akanshu Govil who started a campaign to raise fund for families of deceased victims from corona infection, Bindu Yadav for compiling documents for pension and Mukesh Kulshrestha the station master of Agra Cantt and colleague of C P Singh,” said the septuagenarian Bijendra.
Speaking to TOI, officer Govil said, “The second wave had made huge impact on our staff and their families, therefore on volunteer basis we started a fund-raising campaign.
From class A officers to grade IV employee, everyone contributed.
The campaign showed our comradeship.
Each family of the deceased staff was given Rs 2.06 lakh cash for their immediate financial needs.
Last year we raised Rs 3.8 lakh for family of station master who succumbed to corona infection as well.” The deceased victims were NK Roy station manager of Pithauli station, CP Singh deputy station superintendent of Agra Cantt, Ahmad Beg train guard, Subodh Kumar pointsman at Agra Cantt, Shrikrishna shunting master, Bharat Raj Meena deputy SS Bansi Paharpur station, Manikant Singh deputy passenger guard, Ashok Kumar deputy SS Agra Fort station, Shyam Singh deputy SS of Mirhakur station and Rajesh Shukla CHC Agra Cantt.