The Indian Railways has geared up to provide its 5231 Covid care coaches to various states which will be used as Covid Care Centres to be used for very mild and mild cases.
As of now, Indian Railways has deployed a total of 960 Covid care coaches in five states including Delhi (503), Uttar Pradesh (372), Andhra Pradesh (20), Telangana (60) and Madhya Pradesh (5).
In Delhi, 503 Covid care coaches are deployed at nine locations – 50 at Shakurbasti, 267 at Anand Vihar, 21 at Delhi Safdarjung, 50 at Delhi Sarai Rohilla, 33 at Delhi Cantt, 30 at Adarsh Nagar, 13 at Delhi Shahadra, 13 at Tughlakabad and 26 at Patel Nagar.
In Uttar Pradesh, a total 372 coaches have been deployed at 23 different locations including Lucknow, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Faizabad, Saharanpur, Mirzapur, Subedarganj, Kanpur, Jhansi, Jhansi Workshop, Agra, Nakha Jungle, Gonda, Nautanwa, Bahraich, Varanasi City, Manduadih, Mau, Bhatni, Bareilly City, Farrukhabad and Kasganj.
In Madhya Pradesh, the five coaches are deployed at Gwalior. In Andhra Pradesh, a total 20 coaches are deployed at Vijayawada while in Telangana, a total of 60 coaches are deployed at Secunderabad, Kachguda and Adilabad.
As per guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), these state governments have sent the requisition to Indian Railways and have thus been allocated the same.
Speaking to media, Northern Railway General Manager Rajiv Chaudhary said that the railways has made adequate arrangement for the cooling of the sleeper isolation ward coaches looking at the scorching summer heat of the national capital. Chaudhary said, "Arrangement for cooling the coaches is being made. At Shakur Basti railway station, the coaches are placed under the roof top. While at other places we are working on the idea of sprinkling water, fans on the platforms towards the coaches and providing insulation paint on the roof top to bring down the temperature."
He also said that the coaches used for the isolation ward are the general coaches, which have neared their service life.
"After the Covid-19 crisis, these coaches can be sent back to the train services either as a two tier sleeper coach or as general coaches."
Chaudhary further said that the railways will also keep the medicines for level-1 Covid-19 patients ready, and will have a railway doctor at station or group of stations. "One doctor will always be on round to look after the patients," Chaudhary added.
When asked from when the Covid-19 patients will be shifted to the isolation ward coaches, Chaudhary said, "Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited one of our coaches today and they will take a call on the same as we have arranged the coaches on the railway stations.".
