New Delhi, June 4: In a first, train coaches that have been turned into isolation wards by the Indian Railways to help authorities isolate coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, have been stationed at the Shakurbasti railway station in Delhi. Ten train coaches-cum-isolation wards are being used at the Shakurbasti railway station to treat coronavirus-infected patients. Over 150 patients can be admitted to these isolation wards. Indian Railways to Use 60% of Its Converted Isolation Coaches Lying Idle to Operate Shramik Special Trains.

"160 patients with very mild, mild, or no symptoms of coronavirus can be admitted at the facility," Northern Railway CPRO Deepak Kumar told news agency ANI. Since the coronavirus outbreak in India, the railways have been working on making train coaches into isolation wards. According to a recent report, on an average, 375 coaches are being converted by Indian Railways in a day. The work is being carried out at 133 locations in the country.

Train Coaches Turned Into Isolation Wards at Delhi's Shakurbasti Railway Station:

The Indian Railways had earlier committed to converting initially 5,000 train coaches into isolation wards for coronavirus patients and it has met its goal. It has converted its 5231 coaches into isolation wards. To make the patient cabin, the middle berth is removed from one side, while all three berths removed in front of patient berth. All ladders for climbing up the berths have been removed.

The bathrooms, aisle areas and other areas were also modified to prepare isolation coaches. Besides, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, which made India’s first electric train Vande Bharat Express, has been tasked with the duty of manufacturing ventilators.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 04, 2020 05:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).