Railways improves design of passenger coaches to fight Covid

<p class="p1">Keeping up the pace in the fight against coronavirus, the Indian Railways has made a post-Covid-19 coach with design improvement to promote hands-free amenities, copper-coated handrails and latches, and plasma air purification for the pandemic free journey.</p>
<p class="p1">The railways said that sustaining the ruthless fight against Covid-19, Kapurthala's Rail Coach Factory has developed a post Covid coach to fight Covid-19.</p>
<p class="p1">The railways said that this post Covid Coach has design improvements in the coach like hands-free amenities, copper-coated handrails & latches, plasma air purification, and titanium di-oxide coating for Covid free passenger journey.</p>
<p class="p1">Highlighting the salient features of the coach, the railway ministry said, for hands-free amenities, the new coaches have foot-operated water tap and soap dispenser, foot-operated lavatory door (outside), foot-operated flush valve, foot-operated latches in lavatory door, outside washbasin with foot-operated water tap and soap dispenser and forearm operated handle on the compartment door.</p>
<p class="p1">Similarly, the railways have equipped these coaches with copper-coated handrails and latches as copper degrades the virus on its surface within a few hours. The ministry said that copper has anti-microbial properties. When virus lands on copper, Ion blasts pathogen and destroys the DNA and RNA inside the virus, it said.</p>
<p class="p1">Pointing out at the plasma air purification in air-conditioned coaches, the national transporter said that it helps in sterilizing the air and surfaces inside the coach using ionized air to make the coach Covid-19 and particulate matter resistant.</p>
<p class="p1">It further said that nanostructured titanium dioxide coating in these coaches will function as photoactive material. This is an eco-friendly water-based coating that kills viruses, bacteria, mold, and fungal growth and most importantly enhances indoor air quality, it said. The railways also said that it is non-toxic and approved by the food testing laboratory of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CE certified. "TiO2 is considered to be a safe substance and is harmless to humans. This Titanium Di-oxide coating applied on washbasins, lavatory, seats and berths, snack table, glass window, floor, virtually every surface that comes in human contact," it said.</p>.