Tirupati: Railway coaches turning into makeshift Covid wards

Tirupati: As part of Covid-19 preparedness, the Ministry of Railways has decided to convert sleeper coaches into quarantine/isolation coaches to augment the additional facilities required to meet any exigencies. Following the guidelines, in Tirupati coach depot 60 coaches are being converted as Covid-19 wards.

Accordingly, the officials held consultations with Armed Forces Medical Services, Medical Department of the zonal Railways and Ayushman Bharat.

It was decided to utilise only non-AC sleeper class coaches for the purpose and to make 20,000 such coaches as isolation coaches. Initially, 5,000 will be converted as quarantine wards. Of this target, South Central Railway was asked to convert 486 sleeper and general coaches into isolation coaches.

The Divisional Manager Alok Tiwari has asked the Senior Coach Depot Officer (CDO) Nitin Pachauri to take up the task of converting 60 coaches by April 5. The staff of coach depot in Tirupati have already converted 30 coaches in two days.

Each coach will become an eight cabin isolation ward with three toilets and one bathroom. Medical equipment and emergency medical care will be provided. The middle berths are removed. In the cabins power supply needs are also addressed by fitting required power sockets. Similarly, one of the four toilets has been made bathroom by removing the toilet pan. Toilet floor provided with PVC and drain hole and the wash basin inside is being removed to making bathing more comfortable.

Sr CDO Nitin Pachauri has said that in executing these works proper precautions are being taken ensuring of complete hygiene, minimum staff engagement with personal protective equipment. Apart from this, Tirupati depot is making daily 100 nose masks and distributing to all working staff in these tough times. Till now 1000 nose masks were manufactured and distributed.