Kalyan man helps elderly avoid queues for vaccination

KALYAN: A 32-year-old man from Kalyan has been helping senior citizens who are forced to wait in long queues for hours outside the vaccination centres to get their doses.

Anuraj Anandan, who lives in Kailash Nagar, Kalyan (E), has been maintaining a diary to write the names and contact numbers of the beneficiaries who arrive at the centre in sequence. He gives them a call when their turn is nearing and hence they need not wait in the queue till then.

Anandan manages this along with his job in a private company. He stands in queue from 4am till 10am or 11am and then leaves for his job.

“I have seen many senior citizens waiting in long queues and then complaining of leg pain and other health issues. I voluntarily decided to help them in some way and started imposing this virtual queue system for them. They are free to move anywhere after they give me their names and numbers. They can even go back home and come to the centre when their turn arrives,” he said.

Anandan used to see senior citizens waiting in long queues for hours at Netivli Naka vaccination centre during his early morning walks and that was how he decided to help them with the queue system.

He started this initiative on July 16 at the Central Railway School on Kalyan-Murbad Road in Kalyan (W), which was successful. On July 19, when he tried the same at Acharya Atre auditorium, some senior citizens did not welcome his idea.

“On July 24, since I was not well, I asked one of the persons standing in the queue on behalf of his wife to take my diary and mention the names and details. He did the job for me that day at the Atre auditorium centre,” said Anandan.

“I have seen people waiting in long queues since 2.30am and getting their dose only by afternoon. They keep waiting as they don’t want to miss their turn. This kind of system, if followed at every centre, will help the beneficiaries, especially the senior citizens. It also ensures social distancing among them and helps control the spread of the Covid -19 infection,” added Anandan.

Apart from maintaining the diary with names and details, he also mentions his name in the list and allows someone else in need to take his turn.

Senior citizens line up for vaccination outside Central Railway School on MurbadKalyan Road. (Right) Anuraj Anandan, who makes it easier for the elderly by calling them when their turn to get inoculated comes.