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WR to prepare 460 isolation coaches for COVID 19 patients

Equipped with all necessary facilities Looking to Covid-19 a global pandemic, Indian Railways has come forward to contribute to its fullest capacity. As part of COVID-19 preparedness, Indian Railways has decided to modify 20,000 coaches into quarantine/ isolation coaches to augment the quarantine facilities being created in the country. These modified 20000 coaches can accommodate […]

WR to prepare 460 isolation coaches for COVID 19 patients
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Equipped with all necessary facilities

Looking to Covid-19 a global pandemic, Indian Railways has come forward to contribute to its fullest capacity. As part of COVID-19 preparedness, Indian Railways has decided to modify 20,000 coaches into quarantine/ isolation coaches to augment the quarantine facilities being created in the country.

These modified 20000 coaches can accommodate upto 3.2 lac possible beds for isolation needs. Work on modification of 5000 coaches has been taken in the first phase, which are to be converted into quarantine/ isolation coaches has already started.

These 5000 coaches would be having capacity to accommodate upto 80000 beds. One coach is expected to have 16 beds for isolation. In this line, Western Railway has also decided to convert the existing coaches to Isolation ward. Western Railway is targeting to undertake 460 coaches within a week as decided by Ministry of Railways to support our medical team.

Various exterior as well as interior views of the Isolation coach being modified by W. Rly's workshop at Lower Parel as per the guidelines of Railway Board.
Various exterior as well as interior views of the Isolation coach being modified by W. Rly's workshop at Lower Parel as per the guidelines of Railway Board.
Various exterior as well as interior views of the Isolation coach being modified by W. Rly's workshop at Lower Parel as per the guidelines of Railway Board.Various exterior as well as interior views of the Isolation coach being modified by W. Rly's workshop at Lower Parel as per the guidelines of Railway Board.
Various exterior as well as interior views of the Isolation coach being modified by W. Rly's workshop at Lower Parel as per the guidelines of Railway Board.
Various exterior as well as interior views of the Isolation coach being modified by W. Rly's workshop at Lower Parel as per the guidelines of Railway Board.

According to a press release issued by WR CPRO Ravinder Bhakar, Western Railway has targeted to undertake total 460 coaches and the coaches selected are non AC sleeper and general second class coaches. Out of these 460 coaches, 170 will be undertaken by Mumbai division, while 45 by Vadodara, 75 by Ratlam, 70 by Ahmedabad, 20 by Rajkot & 80 by Bhavnagar division. In this mission, the entire zone that means all workshops and coaches in the depots are working on it.

There are a lot many constraints for getting the material as markets are closed and people are not coming up to deliver due to lock down. Railway is putting best efforts to complete the coaches on top priority so that there is no scarcity of isolation centers/beds. The first prototype prepared as per the guidelines by Railway Board, is ready at Bhavnagar Workshop.

Both middle berths are removed in each cabin. Extra bottle holders shall be provided in each cabin for holding medical equipment, two for each berth. Extra 3 peg coat hooks, 2 per cabin to be provided. Mosquito net to be provided on windows to avoid mosquito entry inside and have proper ventilation too. Each cabin will be provided with 3 dustbins with foot operated lids of Red, Blue and Yellow Colour suitably lined with garbage bags.

One Indian style toilet will be converted into a bathing room. It will be equipped with bucket, mug and soap dispenser. Taps with lift type handle would be provided in washbasins.

Similar taps to be provided at proper height so that bucket can be filled. The first cabin near the bathing room shall be provided with two hospital/ plastic curtains transversely in the aisle so that the entry and exit to the entire eight berth cabins can be screened off. This cabin will be used as store/paramedics area.

Two Oxygen cylinders will also be provided by the Medical department for which suitable clamping arrangement on the side berth of this cabin is to be provided. For insulation of the coaches, Bamboo/Khus mats shall be affixed/ pasted on roof and each side of coach above and below windows to shield effect of heat inside coach. All charging points for laptop and mobile will be functional and all such amenity fittings whenever the coaches are requisitioned.

Some of the main features of coaches are as under.

● One lavatory is converted to bath room equipped with bathing facilities.

● Provision of water taps that can be operated by elbow.

● Provision of foot operated dust bins.

● Plastic curtains.

● Additional hanging arrangements for the use of medical equipments.

● Mosquito nets on windows.

● Store room for medicos.

● Holding arrangements of oxygen cylinders.

● Middle berths are removed from sleeper coaches to accommodate patients.

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