Indian Railways to turn coaches into quarantine facilities

New Delhi : Indian Railways has suspended its operations in India to combat Covid-19 virus spread in India and while the trains are standing ideal, it has been learned that the authorities are planning to convert the coaches into quarantine facilities to help state governments in containing the spread of novel coronavirus infection.

The coaches can be converted into wards where needy people can be placed with medical facilities and food being provided to them within the coach.

According to an Indian Express report, the trains under this plan will be converted into holding centres for patients and paramedical staff who will be treating them. The final design is yet to be finalized, however, it has been learned that the officials have been asked to locate the areas where such coaches can be parked. The officials have also been asked to keep a check on adequate amount of electricity and food supplies in those areas.

A Western Railway official was quoted in the report saying that the zone has identified all locations in the division where a train coach can be charged to ensure uninterrupted source of power. Besides, a stock of all pantry cars are being converted into a mobile kitchen for providing food to those patients who will be quarantined. The officials said that while trains placed at railway stations like CSMT and Mumbai Central will have access to a base kitchen, train coaches placed at other odd locations will require pantry facilities.

According to the report, with this at least 10,000 isolation wards will be created using 20,000 coaches. In order to facilitate the idea, the national transporter has also started movement of its rakes that were stuck in other zones of Indian Railways when the operations of passenger trains were stalled from midnight of March 22 (Janta Curfew day).