The Indian Railways has announced that it would be prepared to modify 20000 coaches into quarantine /isolation coaches with an aim to enhance the quarantine facilities for combating COVID-19.
“As part of COVID-19 preparedness, it has been decided by Indian Railways that it would be prepared to modify 20000 coaches into quarantine/ isolation coaches to augment the quarantine facilities being created in the country. In this connection consultations were held with Armed Forces Medical Services, Medical Department of various Zonal Railways, and Ayushman Bharat, Ministry of Health, Government of India. Five Zonal Railways have already prepared prototypes for the quarantine/ isolation coaches,” the statement said.
“These modified 20000 coaches can accommodate upto 3.2 lac possible beds for isolation needs. Work on modification of 5000 coaches, which are to be converted initially into quarantine/ isolation coaches has already started. These 5000 coaches would be having capacity to accommodate upto 80000 beds. One coach is expected to have 16 beds for isolation,” it said.
Only Non-AC ICF sleeper coaches are being planned to be utilized for conversion into Quarantine/ isolation coaches, it added.
