COVID-19: Railways converts 2,500 coaches as isolation wards

The Indian Railways has converted 2,500 coaches into isolation wards, achieving almost half of its target of making 5,000 such coaches, as part of government's efforts to combat coronavirus.

Amid the lockdown, when manpower resources are limited and have to be rationalised and rotated, different zones of railways have almost done an impossible task of so many conversions in a small span of time. With the conversion of around 2500 coaches, 40,000 isolation beds are now ready for contingency, the Railways said in a statement.

Once the prototype was approved, the conversion action was started quickly by Zonal Railways.

On an average, 375 coaches are being converted by the Railways in a day. The work is being carried out at 133 locations in the country, the statement said.

These coaches are equipped as per medical advisories issued. Efforts are being done to ensure the best possible stay and medical supervision as per the needs and norms.

It may be noted that these isolation coaches are being prepared only as a contingency and to supplement the efforts of the Ministry of Health in fighting the COVID-19, added the statement.

The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India climbed to 4,067, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.

As many as 109 deaths have been reported across the country due to the deadly disease.

There are 3,666 active cases in the country while 292 people have been cured/discharged/migrated.