In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Indian Railways is making an all out effort to supplement the health care efforts of Government of India. The spectrum of steps include modification of passenger coaches as isolation coaches, equipping the existing Railway Hospitals to meet the COVID-19 needs, earmarking of hospital beds to meet the contingencies, recruitment of additional doctors & paramedics etc. NFR has also contributed its share by undertaking various initiatives during the nationwide lockdown period.
NFR has already modified 315 coaches as Isolation coachesfor placement in various locations. These coaches are equipped with all basic facilities needed for isolation as per guidelines issued by Railway Board. Coaches are also equipped with mosquito nets, charging points for mobiles & laptop, space for paramedics etc. One Isolation coach consists of 8 beds, 1 bathroom, 3 toilets for use of patients.
If needed, more coaches can be modified as Isolation coaches. These Isolation coaches are of great significance, as existing Isolation beds in various hospitals might prove to be insufficient in case of contingency. And building new hospitals are not possible within a short time. So during emergency, these coaches will come handy for the health departments.
At present 20(twenty) coaches each have been modified at Katihar and New Jalpaiguri area under Katihar division. 25(twenty five) coaches have been modified at Alipurduar Jn area under Alipurduar division. 30(thirty) coaches have been modified at Dibrugarh area under Tinsukia division. 10(ten) coaches at Agartala, 30(thirty) coaches at Silchar, 50(fifty) coaches each at Guwahati and Kamakhya have been modified under Lumding division. 50(fifty) coaches have been modified at New Bongaigaon Railway Workshop and kept under Rangiya division while 30(thirty) coaches have been modified at Dibrugarh Railway Workshop and kept under Tinsukia division.
So, altogether 2520 Isolation beds in coaches are ready with NFR in different states/locations. All these coaches are ready for movement/deployment as and when instructions are received from appropriate health authority of Govt of India.
These beds are in addition to 170 Isolation beds which are ready at different Railway hospitals over NFR. Moreover, 811 beds for Quarantine are also kept ready for use in different location in NFR. All these facilities will be made available as mandated by the Government of India and State govts to those in need.
Indian Railways have 125 hospitals throughout India and of that more than 70 are being planned to be kept ready for any COVID related contingency as and when required. It may be noted that these efforts of Indian Railways have been mounted not only to supplement the efforts of the Government of India but also to contribute to the national efforts to fight the Corona Virus.
