Railways asks cement firms to empty freight trains for supply of essentials

The Railways has asked cement firms to offload their goods from freight trains so that they can be used to supply essential commodities to various parts of the country, sources said.

With the lockdown in place, the national transporter is using about 50-60 rakes per day to ferry food grains but there is demand for more, the sources said.

Around 300 goods trains full of cement bags are lying idle because cement companies are in no hurry to unload them as the construction business has come to a standstill due to the coronavirus outbreak.

With the railways having waived off its demurrage and