Workshops in Southern Railways takes lead to meet the requirements of medical essentials
The first case of COVID-19 case was reported in India on 30th Jan,2020. Since then awareness about sneezing and coughing etiquettes and hand wash guidelines were reaching the public using all means of communication.
Southern Railways took all out efforts in creating awareness about these etiquettes and guidelines. At this juncture hand sanitizers and masks started running out of stock and prices spiraled to the unimaginable level wherever stock was available. Government of India got these two items notified under Essential commodities Act. Now with Railway Board giving directions to Production units and workshops to use their manufacturing facilities to manufacture essential medical items Southern Railway has put its team working on this task.
Southern Railway has Electric loco sheds at Erode and Arakkonam and Diesel Loco shed at Ernakulam. Perambur loco works, Golden rock workshop and Perambur Carriage & Wagon work are its other workshops.
Perambur Loco Works has taken the initiative of making the hand sanitizers for its use in railway offices and railway hospitals. The materials that are gone into making this in-house product are isopropyl alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Glycerol and Distilled Water. Initially, 5 litres have been prepared. Similarly Goldern Rock Workshop, Tiruchirappalli has also produced in-house 10 litres of hand sanitizers.
The average cost of making comes to only Rs. 570 per litre which is lot cheaper than what is sold in the market. Golden Rock workshop has handed over the material to Medical department for making the hand sanitizers in its lab and it will soon be making 60 cots as required by the Medical branch
Perambur Carriage works has taken the initiative of making 250 masks till date. 100 masks have been distributed to Chennai division for the use of running staff working goods trains. 150 masks handed over to Railway hospital, Perambur. This mask is made of white cotton cloth and is of single layer with elastic ear band. This can be reused after thorough wash. Besides it has produced 45 nos of aprons and handed over it to Railway hospital at Perambur. They are in the process of making 50 numbers of cots in the next ten days using the available material in the workshop. This workshop also has plans to manufacture three-layer masks.
Electric Locoshed, Erode also has lent a helping hand in this regard. It has produced 200 litres of hand sanitizers so far for consumption in offices, hospitals in the jurisdiction of Salem Division. Electric Loco shed at Arakkonam, Diesel loco shed at Ernakulam and a medical branch of Trivandrum division have also contributed in making hand sanitizers for their internal usage.
Coaching Depot in Basin bridge has also come up with their capacity to make 50 masks on a daily basis utilizing the available material and allowing their lady staff to work from home. This will be made out of cotton cloth in single layer. This can be reused after wash. This masks will be used for railway employees and in railway hospitals.
With these initiatives, Southern Railway has proved its mettle yet again in this time of medical crisis.
