Northern Railway prepares to combat COVID-19

As the number of COVID-19 cases in India has breached the 1000-mark, all Northern Railway workshops have geared up to curb the spread of the deadly virus by increasing the manufacturing of essential equipment and medical facilities.

All workshops are currently being equipped to manufacture sanitisers at 700 litres per day, while the manufacturing of face masks will be done as much as 700 masks per day.

The facility will manufacture as much as 20 coveralls or aprons per day, which will be further increased to 35 per day. Sealing tape will also be provided on all coveralls from April 1.

In addition, the Railway has also undertaken the task of converting non-AC coaches into isolation wards for the affected.

According to a press release, as much as 16 LHB coaches have already been converted into isolation coaches, and 20 converted coaches, i.e., two rakes will be ready by March 31, while two ICF coaches will also be converted into isolation coaches by Tuesday. Furthermore, one rake of 10 coaches will be converted into an isolation facility within a week's time.

"The Northern Railway is in touch with the respective state governments for better coordination in our fight against coronavirus," further said the release.

With 47 new cases, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases rose to 1071 in India on Monday morning, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This includes 99 people who have been discharged or cured of the highly contagious respiratory illness.