169 Covid care coaches handed over to states by Railways

The Railways has made nearly 4,000 Covid care coaches with almost 64,000 beds ready for use by states as part of fight against the pandemic.

A Railway Ministry release said that 169 coaches have been handed over to various states for COVID care.

It said that new demand for COVID coaches has come from Nagpur District and 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 station and catering arrangements.

The Railway Ministry is also mobilising isolation coaches at Ajni ICD area, Maharashtra as per the State demand.

The Railways has also positioned such coaches at nine other major stations in Delhi, UP, MP and Maharashtra.

At Nandrubar (Maharashtra), 57 patients are currently utilising the facility of which one patient was shifted and 322 beds are still available.

In Delhi, the Railway has catered to Delhi governments' demand for 75 COVID care coaches with a capacity of 1200 beds. The release said 50 coaches are positioned at Shakurbasti and 25 Coaches at Anand Vihar stations.

In UP, though coaches have not yet been requisitioned by state government, 10 coaches each are placed at Faizabad, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Bareli and Nazibabad totalling to a capacity of 800 beds (50 coaches).

( With inputs from ANI )