A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed Indian Railways to convert its coaches into quarantine wards for COVID-19 patients, the state run railways is now ready with the plan.
Railway coaches will be converted into makeshift isolation wards where COVID-19 patients will be kept along with the medical staff treating them. As per Railway officials coaches will undergo several modifications to meet the requirement. Some of these would include removing the side partition next to the main door on each end, converting one Indian toilet on each side into a bathing room, removing middle berths, etc.
The way to convert toilets into bathing rooms would be “by placing wooden batten structure on the entire floor, which also covers the squatting pan”. “A hand shower is to be provided and it is to be equipped with bucket, mug and soap dish also,” the orders state.
The exact design is yet to be finalized, however, officials have been asked to take necessary steps to identify areas in their respective divisions where train coaches can be parked. They have also been asked to see that adequate arrangements are made to ensure electricity supply for a longer duration to these coaches. Besides, a stock of all pantry cars are being converted into a mobile kitchen for providing food to those patients who will be quarantined.
Trains with makeshift isolation wards will help serve areas that experience an outbreak but lack the requisite facilities. The plan was considered feasible because rail coaches have been sitting idle since passenger train movement across the country stand cancelled until 14 April, even though freight operations continue for the transport of essential commodities.
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