Anand Vihar to be used for isolation coaches; trains diverted to Old Delhi

Train services have been suspended from Monday at Anand Vihar railway station as all of its platforms have been reserved for the deployment of isolation coaches for coronavirus patients.

According to a Railways official, all five trains running from Anand Vihar station in east Delhi will now operate from Old Delhi railway station.

This comes following a decision by the Centre to provide to the Delhi government with 500 railway coaches, turned into isolation wards, to augment the shortage of beds in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the city.

After a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Sunday, Union Home Minister said that in view of the scarcity of beds for coronavirus patients in Delhi hospitals, the central government has decided to immediately provide 500 converted rail coaches to Delhi Government which will make 8,000 more beds available in Delhi.

The beds will be equipped with facilities required for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The Indian Railways has been modifying coaches into quarantine and isolation coaches to augment the quarantine facilities in the country.

The coaches are equipped with necessary medical facilities such as oxygen cylinders, blankets, medical supplies, sterilized berths etc.