Provision of vaccine for the Railwaymen – AIRF

Provision of vaccine for the Railwaymen – AIRF writes to Railway Board – Vaccination against COVID-19 Pandemic will start from 16th January, 2021

All India Railwaymen’s Federation

No.AIRF/24(C)

Dated: January 8, 2021

The D.G.(H.R.),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Provision of vaccine for the Railwaymen

As you are aware that, Hon’ble Prime Minister has announced that, vaccination against COVID-19 Pandemic will start from 16th January, 2021, and vaccine will be given first to the Frontline Staff. Though, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare(Government of India) has declared some of the staff as Frontline Staff, such as Doctors, Nurses, Hospital Staff, Police Personnel etc. etc., some of our Railway Staff will also be covered in the so-called given definition of the Frontline Staff by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare(Government of India).

The condition of the Railways is quite different, and particularly more than one million Railway Employees had put their lives at the stake while operating more than 10,000 Freight Trains as well as thousands of Shramik Specials when Coronavirus was on the peak. Even today condition is same. In the Railways, we cannot have discrimination within the staff, because while operating trains, Operating Staff, viz. Loco Running Staff, Guards, Station Master, Trains Controllers etc. etc., are crucial, but at the same time, Maintenance Staff, viz. Track Maintainers, Keymen, Pointsman, Mate, JEs, SSE, Technicians of all the departments, and even Ministerial Staff working in Maintenance Sheds, Loco Sheds, Workshops and Operating Department, are also vulnerable. Welfare Inspector, who has been put to work round-the-clock by the administration and served during Coronavirus Pandemic not from the backdoor, but also from upfront, are also quite vulnerable. Even some of the Accounts Staff also served Operating, Maintenance and Running Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic, remained in the contact and suffered from the Coronavirus.

There had been many cases where Staff Car Drivers also suffered from the Coronavirus while serving their fellow staff and officers. Statistics of all such staff, who have suffered because of the Coronavirus, is available with the administration. So, while preparing list for vaccination of the Railwaymen, Railway Board should use its wisdom and take care of every vulnerable Railwaymen, and there should not be any discrimination in the Railwaymen Fraternity.

You are, therefore, requested to kindly ask the DRMs etc. to prepare list of the Railwaymen, need to be vaccinated, in consultation with the Organised Labour, and there should not be any problem because of rationing of Covaxin.

Source: AIRF