SATISH HANDA

Northern Railways has decided to convert old rail coaches to 350 COVID-19 mini hospitals and conversion work has been started on war footing basis at railway workshops in Haryana, Punjab and U.P to develop COVID care special trains. According to a railway spokesman 150 mini hospitals at Jagadhari railway workshop, 140 mini hospitals at Lucknow workshop, 20 mini hospitals at Ambala workshop and 5 mini hospitals at Moradabad workshop are under preparation at present and amount worth Rs 70000 is being spent on each coach.

According to railways information, search is being made to trace out 20 to 30 years coaches for convert as COVID-19 care special trains to provide basic facilities to patients including showers to take bath, availability of mosquito net, bio-toilets, electric plug, oxygen cylinder and other necessities required for patients. According to railway spokesman, there is proposal to convert 5000 coaches into mini hospitals in isolation trains across the country and nearly 60% of target has already been achieved so far.

Information reveals, there is provision to control temperature in these isolation coaches by covering roof top and provision for cool air, besides provision for social distancing in every coach having separate cabins for the patients, partitions in beds, two bath rooms, toilets in every coach according to health department guidelines. There is also provision for separate ward for corona suspected persons. There are eight cabins in every coach to accommodate one patient in each cabin.