To assist state governments, Indian Railways deploys covid care coaches in Delhi, UP, MP & Maharashtra

To cater to the current hot weather conditions, these coaches have been now additionally fitted with conveniences viz. coolers, jute-mats.

As India is battling the scourge of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways is deploying Covid Care isolation coaches, already devised during the initial wave of novel coronavirus outbreak with add-on conveniences. These Covid Care isolation coaches have been readied as a measure of preparedness to serve as an additional health care facility for the isolation of COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms. To cater to the current hot weather conditions, these coaches have been now additionally fitted with conveniences viz. coolers, jute-mats, according to the Railway Ministry. The state governments, in this regard, have been advised on the modalities and SOP in place and the availability of Covid care isolation coaches.

Around 4,000 Covid Care isolation coaches with as many as 64,000 beds, have positioned at various railway stations across the country, some of which have already served the isolation needs of COVID-19 positive patients in the first wave of the pandemic. In Delhi, as many as 50 covid care coaches with 800 number of beds are deployed at Shakurbasti railway station, where four patients presently admitted while 25 coaches with 400 number of beds are made available at Anand Vihar Terminal station. At Nandurbar in the state of Maharashtra, as many as 21 coaches with 378 beds are positioned and at present, 55 patients are admitted at this facility. At Bhopal railway station, a total of 20 coaches have been positioned. In the state of Punjab, 50 coaches have been readied for deployment and in Jabalpur, 20 coaches positioned for deployment.

On state governments’ demand, these covid care isolation coaches will cater to the needs of patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms. The national transporter takes all efforts to provide catering arrangements to these patients as well as maintaining hygiene in these covid care coaches. The utilization of these isolation coaches by state governments will be made available through updates from time to time, the ministry added.