North Central Railway has taken holistic and proactive approach to fight Covid-19 pandemic while continuing efficiently on safety, train operations, human resource development and other important fronts. Reacting immediately to this novel disease, North Central Railway worked on creating requisite infrastructure & knowhow to make itelf Covid ready and adopted to changed conditions quickly to continue Operation, Maintenance and other activities in efficient manner. Making the workforce and workplace Covid-19 ready was first and foremost challenge. Handling it effectively NCR not only implemented social distancing, thermal scanning, hand washing, sanitization protocols at all workplace but also gave large scale inputs of face covers, sanitizers, thermal scanners etc . As on 08.06.20, more than 3.2 lakh face covers and 30000 litres sanitizer have been provided at different workplaces over NCR. Similarly input of 1.35 lakhs For. medical personnel inputs of 1.35 lakhs surgical masks and 40000 N-95 masks have been given for medical personnel over NCR.
Moving ahead from basic preparedness, NCR has made available about 613 quarantine beds, 200 bedded isolation wards in Praygraj and Jhansi Railway hospitals and 130 isolation coaches sufficient to cater 2080 Covid patients. 05 special clinics are running in divisions &HQ, screening approximately 100 persons per day with covid like symptoms among Railway employees, their family members and other beneficiaries of Rly medical facility and 7170 persons have been screened so far. Besides infrastructure, training sessions were also organized regularly covering doctors and other paramedics and so far, 402 such formal and informal sessions have been organized over North Central Railway.
Coverall, the most important part of PPE kit for medica personnel have also been made by NCR using specified fabric, sealant and technique of Jagadhari workshop of Northern Railway. As on 08.06.20 about 3200 coveralls have been made inhouse of total 20000 PPE kits available for medical personnel on North Central Railway. Another 3600 are being manufactured through Jhansi workshop and sample piece from the new lot has been tested by Small Arms Factory Kanpur and found compliant to laid down specifications for Coveralls.
For running of Shramik and special trains concrete steps were taken at stations and in trains to safeguard passengers from Covid-19 . Besides implementing standard arrangements like floor marking for social distancing, foot paddle operated taps , provision of separate entry and exits , entry & travel with confirmed ticket only , non-provision of linen &curtains , thermal scanning , complete address details for booking, awareness campaigns etc. , North Central Railway is also working on a pilot project implemented at Prayagraj Jn station to ensure that passenger only with confirmed ticket enters railway station and entry is updated in system automatically without any physical transection of ticket .
