Visakhapatnam: After serving the railways for decades in various departments, a group of retired railway employees decided to give back to society rather than relaxing at home.

Making the best use of leisure time and contributing to society, a group of both serving and retired railway employees join hands to reach out to passengers and pilgrims in their own way in Visakhapatnam.

Setting an example for others, they decided to quench the thirst of passengers, and cater to their hunger needs by serving food along with glasses of safe drinking water and buttermilk at key locations in railway stations.

At Simhachalam, their service gains greater significance as the retired employees prepare and serve portions of flavoured rice, pongal and buttermilk to passengers and devotees. Their day starts very early as they share responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and distributing food to passengers by setting up stalls.

After retirement, they feel motivated to serve thousands of passengers daily and provide them relief, especially during the summer season. "It is a community service and we do it voluntarily with passion," they stated.

Their relentless service drew appreciation from the Waltair officials. Commending their service, Divisional Railway Manager of Waltair Lalit Bohra appreciated the teams, NGOs, and volunteers who came together for the initiative. He emphasised that such acts of service set an example for the younger generation, inspiring them to recognise and respond to societal needs. Also, the Duvvada Rail Users' Association has been instrumental in mobilising NGOs and local volunteers under the guidance of its secretary K Eswar.