NEW DELHI: In the united fight against the COVID, the Ministry of Railways has made nearly 4000 Covid Care coaches with almost 64000 beds ready for use by States. At present 169 coaches have been handed over to various states for Covid care says a government press release.
New demand for Covid coaches has come from Nagpur District in Maharashtra. In this direction, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Divisional Railway Manager, Nagpur and Commissioner, Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Accordingly, the Railways will deploy the Covid care rake with 11 coaches, comprising of modified sleepers with each coach capacity to accommodate 16 patients. The coaches will be equipped with the necessary medical infrastructure by the State Health Authorities with Railways devising segmentation of space and utility for medical personnel in line with MoU besides taking care of sanitation and catering arrangements.
The Railways are also mobilising Isolation Coaches at Ajni ICD area, Maharashtra as per the State demand.
Besides these new areas of Maharashtra, the updated position of the utility of these coaches positioned at the nine other major stations in the States of Delhi, UP, MP and Maharashtra are as follows:
At Nandrubar (Maharashtra), 57 patients are currently utilising the facility, of which 1 patient was shifted. 322 beds are still available.
In Delhi, the Railway has catered to the full demand of State Governments’ demand for 75 Covid Care coaches with a capacity of 1200 beds. 50 coaches are positioned at Shakurbasti and 25 Coaches at Anand Vihar stations.
Presently, 5 within regard to the demand by State Govt of Madhya Pradesh for 2 coaches, the Ratlam Division of Western Railways has deployed 20 Coaches with a capacity of 320 beds at Tihi station near Indore.
The utilisation of these facilities in the above-mentioned states, as per latest records, cumulatively registers 98 admissions with 28 subsequent discharges. As per the latest reports, the Railway has registered 17 admissions and 6 discharges. Presently 70 Covid patients are utilising the isolation coaches.
In UP, though coaches have not yet been requisitioned by State Govt, 10 coaches each are placed at Faizabad, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Bareli & Nazibabad totaling to a capacity of 800 beds (50 coaches).
