New Delhi, Mar 27 (IANS): Keeping in view the novel coronavirus crisis across the country, the Railways urged its 13.5 lakh employees to voluntarily donate one-day salary to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to help combat the disease.

The Railway Board, in its letter to all the General Managers, said that as the country was threatened by the pandemic, a national disaster had been declared, leading to invocation of statutory provisions of Disaster Management Act.

"The Board has taken note of the fact that the likely intensity and spread of disease necessitate mobilization of all possible help and contribution from every source. Therefore, those of us who are more fortunately placed have a very special responsibility in this hour of gravest crisis.

"Railwaymen has always stood up and extended their helping hand in such hour of distress. In the past also railwaymen had shown their solidarity and generosity by contributing a day's basic pay to provide support to needy people," it said.

The Board said that it was suggested that one day's basic pay should be deducted from all willing railway servants, except those who give a specific declaration either for non-deduction or deduction for an amount less than one day's basic pay.

In the wake of the coronavirus scare across the country, the railways has started the production of sanitizers, medical cots, IV stands, and masks at its production units.

On Friday, coronavirus positive cases in India reached 724, with 17 deaths.