5231 Railway coaches modified into COVID care centres

New Delhi: The Indian Railways Ministry has modified 5231 railway coaches into Covid care centres, against the background of an increasing number of Coronavirus patients. These coaches are going to be situated at 215 railway stations across 15 states.

Since the last four days, the number of Coronavirus patients has increased by 10,000. Considering the rising number of Coronavirus patients, these railway coaches are going to be utilised to look after them. These coaches are going to be made available in the states that lack healthcare facilities. Furthermore, they will be deployed in regions, wherein the confirmed Coronavirus cases would require a ward to quarantine.

The railway coaches are going to be deployed in 15 states, which are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha. Besides, the Railway Department would be providing healthcare facilities at 85 stations out of the 215. Furthermore, the Railway Department also said that the Covid healthcare coaches will be deployed at additional 130 stations, only when the respective states and UT government agree to provide staff and essential medicines at such stations. The Railway Department will bear the responsibility to provide electricity supply and security.

Moreover, apart from the Coronavirus care centre, the Railway Department has appointed 2500 doctors and 35,000 paramedical staff. This staff allocation classified into various ranks has been done on an interim basis. Besides, 17 of these Railway Healthcare Centres designated for Covid treatment will have 5000 beds, and 33 of the centres will be utilised to treat severe coronavirus patients.