Rly sets target to make 1000 PPE per day in 17 workshops

Railways, which has got a nod from the DRDO for making personal protection equipment (PPEs), has now set a target of manufacturing around 1000 of them in its 17 workshops every day.

The PPE overall will offer much needed protection to railway doctors and paramedics working on the front line of COVID care at hospitals of Railways.

"Facilities are being geared up in Railways to make up to 1000 such protective overall for railway doctors and paramedics every day.Around 17 workshops would be striving to contribute to this exercise," the national transporter said in a statement.

Railways is also considering to supply 50 per cent of the innovated PPE garment to other medical professionals of the country.

Material for all the overalls is being procured centrally at Jagadhari which is located near many big textile industries in Punjab.

It has been decided to source raw material from a Yamunanagar-based vendor approved by the Textiles ministry.

"In the days to come, the production facilities can be further ramped up. The development of this overall and innovation by Indian Railways is being welcomed by other Government agencies engaged in the war against COVID.

"Technical specifications of these PPEs are now ready, and material suppliers are in place. Now the production can start in right earnest. This development is big boost to equip our doctors and paramedics on the front line of this battle against COVID-19," it said.

The government estimates that the country's medical fraternity and other workers will require some 1.5 crore coveralls by June.

These suits are incinerated after each use and are the most critical component in the Personal Protective Equipment kit which is in significant shortage in India.