By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 23, 2020: SUSTAINING the fight against Covid-19, Indian Railways has started providing care to corona patients referred for admission in COVID Coaches deployed in various states. On 20 th June 2020, 42 suspected patients were admitted in COVID Coaches deployed at Mau Junction in Varanasi division and 17 patients were admitted on 21 st June, 2020. 8 patients have already been discharged.

Indian Railways is making an all out effort to supplement the health care efforts of State Governments. Indian Railways has geared up to provide its 5231 Covid Care Coaches to the States. Zonal Railways have converted these coaches as COVID Care Centres to be used for very mild / mild cases.

As of now, Indian Railways has deployed total 960 COVID Care coaches in 5 states i.e. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhara Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. Out of total 960 COVID Care coaches, 503 COVID Care coaches have been deployed in Delhi, 20 in Andhra Pradesh, 60 in Telangana, 372 in Uttar Pradesh and 5 in Madhya Pradesh.

In Delhi, 503 COVID Care coaches are deployed at 9 locations. 50 COVID Care coaches are deployed at Shakurbasti, 267 at Anand Vihar, 21 at Delhi Safdarjung, 50 at Delhi Sarai Rohilla, 33 at Delhi Cant, 30 at Adarsh Nagar, 13 at Delhi Shahadra, 13 at Tughlakabad and 26 at Patel Nagar.

In Uttar Pradesh, total 372 COVID Care coaches have been deployed at 23 different locations i.e. Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Jn., Lucknow, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Faizabad, Saharanpur, Mirzapur, Subedarganj, Kanpur, Jhansi, Jhansi Workshop, Agra, Nakha Jungle, Gonda, Nautanwa, Bahraich, Varanasi City, Manduadih, Mau, Bhatni, Bareilly City, Farrukhabad and Kasganj.

In Madhya Pradesh, total 5 COVID Care coaches are deployed at Gwalior. In Andhra Pradesh, total 20 COVID Care coaches are deployed at Vijayawada while in Telangana, a total of 60 COVID Care coaches are deployed at 3 different locations i.e. Secunderabad, Kachguda and Adilabad.

As per guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Government of India, these State Governments have sent the requisition to Indian Railways and Railways have allocated these coaches to the State/UTs.

It is worth mentioning that Indian Railways is working as Service Provider of Coaches as COVID Care Centres as its contribution to national cause. Doctors and paramedics are to be provided by State Governments. This is as per MOHFW guidelines issued on 6th May 2020.

Railways is deploying 2 liaison officers for each location of coaches to assist State  Government officials. All efforts are being made to reduce the heat in the coaches in the given weather conditions. Railways to assist State Government in all possible manners to help in care of Covid patients.

It may be noted that these Coaches can be used for very mild cases that can be clinically assigned to the Covid Care centers as per guidelines issued by MoHFW. These coaches can be used in areas where State has exhausted the facilities and needs to augment capacities for isolation of both suspect and confirmed Covid cases. These facilities are part of the integrated COVID plan developed by MoHFW and NITI Ayog.