NEW DELHI: The Government of Assam has requested the Union Ministry of Railways for 150 Covid Coaches to be kept in readiness at various stations throughout the state. Though the state has not requisitioned six railway stations, Kamakhya/Guwahati, Lumding, New Bongaigaon, Silchar, Badarpur and Dibrugarh have been suggested where these coaches can be placed whenever required.
The Ministry of Railways has deployed nearly 4000 Isolation Coaches with almost 64000 beds for COVID19 patients. On Monday, on demand from the State Govt of Nagaland for Isolation Coaches, 10 Isolation Coaches were deployed at Dimapur, Nagaland.
Accordingly, as per States’ demand, at present 213 coaches have been handed over to various states for Covid care with a bed-capacity of nearly 3400 beds. Isolation Coaches are presently utilised at Delhi, Maharashtra (Ajni ICD, Nandrubar), Madhya Pradesh (Tihi near Indore).
To work concurrently with the States and in a bid to reach out as swiftly as possible, the Railway has drawn a de-centralised plan of action empowering Zones and Divisions to work out their Memorandum of Agreement for cohesive action. These Isolation Coaches can be easily moved and positioned at places of demand on the Indian Railways network.
