Shri Suresh Angadi, Hon’ble Union Minister of State of Railways inspected the Isolation coaches that have been made ready at Carriage repair Workshop at Hubballi today i.e., on 10.04.2020 .
Shri Jagadish Shettar, Hon’ble Minister of Large & Medium Scale Industries and District In-charge Minister of Dharwad and Shri Arvind Bellad, Hon’ble Member of Legislative Assembly, Hubballi-Dharwad West were also present. Shri Suresh Angadi expressed satisfaction over the work and appreciated the South Western Railway officials for completing the target in just 11 days.
Shri Suresh Angadi said that like Health and Police Department who are in the forefront of battle against COVID-19, Railways is also working 24 X 7 during lockdown. Track and other maintenance works are also being done ensuring social distancing and wearing of masks by Workers. Special Parcel trains are being run across length and breadth of the country for transportation of essential commodities mainly food grains etc.
He said that we all shall be United in the crisis situation. He advised those infected with Corona shall come forward voluntarily for medical checkup. He congratulated the officers and staff who have worked in conversion of coaches into Isolation wards. He said that SWR has already achieved target of 312 coaches into Isolation wards which has 2400 beds capacity (calculated with 8 beds in a coach). In a bid to increase the country’s capacity for isolation facilities, Railways has converted sleeper class coaches into Covid – 19 isolation wards suitable to act as quarantine hubs.
The deployment/movement of these coaches will be decided by Ministry of Health and National Disaster Management Cell. He informed that protocol for the same is under issue. He said that these coaches would be supplementing number of isolation beds in Hospitals and will be used in case if situation demands. He appreciated the exemplary service of RPF which in collaboration with IRCTC is providing food to the needy persons at various stations over India . So far 29,000 meals to the needy people have been distributed in Hubballi.
Shri Ajay Kumar Singh, General Manager of South Western Railway; Shri Ravikumar, Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer; Shri Vilas Gunda, Principal Chief Medical Director; Shri P.C.Chouhan, Principal Chief Security Commissioner; Shri Arvind Malkhede, Divisional Railway Manager; Shri Neeraj Jain, Chief Workshop Manager; Shri Sanjeev Katware,Chief Material Manager/Sales; Shri R.C. Punetha, Chief Material Manager; Smt. E. Vijaya, Deputy General Manager and others were present.
On 10th April, SWR has converted 313 coaches, as against target of 312 coaches as isolation/quarantine wards as per isolation cabin prototype to meet the needs of the patients. Thus SWR has completed its target well in time. This coach isolation prototype was issued by Railway Board on 30th Mar.2020 and coaches are modified as under:
Isolation Compartments:
§ Middle Berths, ladders are removed to ensure comfort & better space.
§ Plastic Transparent Air Curtains for Isolation also screening
§ Bottle Holders in each compartment for holding Medical Equipments as well as Water Bottles.
§ The first cabin near the bathroom shall be provided with two hospital/plastic curtains transversely in the aisle so that the entry and exit to the entire 8 berth cabin can be sealed off.
§ This cabin will be used as store/paramedic area
§ Oxygen cylinder will be provided by the medical department for which suitable clamping arrangement on the side berth side of this cabin will be provided.
§ Electric Sockets for operating electrical equipments.
§ One bathrooms and Lavatory are provided diagonally in the coach.
§ Tap with one bucket and mug is provided in the bathroom.
§ Power supply
§ Inverter control MCBs provided inside the junction box.
§ 110V DC input
The details of modification work completed on SWR are as under;
Unit Completed
Hubballi Workshop 96 Coaches
Mysuru Workshops 89 Coaches
Bengaluru Division 61 Coaches
Mysuru Division 32 Coaches
Hubballi Division 35Coaches
SWR 313 Coaches
