Railway coaches refurbished as COVID-19 isolation wards

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RAILWAY COACHES REFURBISHED AS COVID-19
RAILWAY COACHES REFURBISHED AS COVID-19

PIB News Update:Indian Railways the lifeline of our nation is gearing up to face any eventuality of surge in Covid-19 patients. Passenger train services were suspended to control the pandemic from spreading by stopping the movement of people. This helped in controlling Covid-19 from reaching unaffected states. Railways continued its selfless service chugging along by transporting goods and more importantly carrying goods laden trucks as road transport was stopped in many places. This really helped to control prices of essential items from skyrocketing.

With so many trains kept idle in railway sidings, it was a brilliant move by the authorities to convert and refurbish some of the wagons to isolation wards to treat covid 19 patients. The idea was to utilize railway infrastructure and wagons to treat Covid 19 patients when there is no more space left in local hospitals. Indian Railways decided to convert 5000 coaches older than 15 years into isolation wards. Railway Board had given a target to Southern Railways to convert 573 coaches. The conversion work was taken up by Trichy Golden Rock Workshop, Perambur carriage and wagon works, Perambur Loco works, and six divisions including Trichy, Madurai and Salem.

In Tiruchirapalli division, 44 coaches have been converted for Covid-19 isolation wards. At Tiruchirapalli Coaching depot, 34 coaches and at Villupuram coaching depot,  10 coaches were converted,  according to  Trichy Railway PRO Manasa Ranjan Dalai. He told Field Publicity Officer Trichy that the railway coaching depot fabricated non-contact Hand wash soap dispenser and water flow avoiding human contact to prevent spread of Covid-19 virus. The quarantine isolation coaches are fitted with bath room, provision of curtains at entrance of cabin to isolate the patients.  Each cabin has been provided with three dustbins of red, blue and yellow colours with foot operated lids. There is also provision of clamps for hanging oxygen cylinders. Water pipes and taps provided in toilet are converted into bath rooms and provided with soap dispensers.

The railway coaches are kept ready for emergency quarantine treatment. These coaches can be moved to towns near villages in Trichy division where hospital facility is not available. At present 17 patients including 9 from Trichy district are undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in Trichy government hospital.

Indian railways is always in the forefront in serving the nation and its citizens. Isolation ward coaches will definitely help the health department to tide over the crisis if the pandemic spreads to remote areas. Following the adage prevention is better than cure, the central government is doing everything possible under sky to put up a decisive fight against the pandemic and the historic Indian Railways is doing its bid with a sense of pride.

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