No charges will be levied from states for COVID-19 isolation coaches: Northern Railways

No charges will be levied from states for COVID-19 isolation coaches, said Northern Railway General Manager Ashutosh Gangal on Sunday.

"To my knowledge, no charges will be levied from states for COVID isolation coaches. Health ministry guidelines don't mention any such thing," Northern Railway General Manager Ashutosh Gangal said.

He further said, "We have purchased oxygen cylinders, we can provide two cylinders in each coach. Thereafter refilling and other things will be taken care of by the state governments."

The Indian Railways has converted 4,002 train coaches as a COVID-19 care-cum-isolation facility to provide assistance to state governments amid surging coronavirus cases in the country.

Pictures for the same were shared by Union Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal on Sunday.

"Railways is devoting all its resources for fighting COVID-19. Isolation coaches have started functioning at Nandurbar, Maharashtra with COVID-19 patients being admitted."

Additionally, as some states are facing scarcity of medical oxygen amid surging COVID-19 cases in the country, the Railways is getting ready to transport Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) and oxygen cylinders across the key corridors.

A meeting was held between Railway Board officials and State Transport Commissioners along with representatives of industry on the "issues related to transportation of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO)" on Saturday.

( With inputs from ANI )