Covid-19 task force for turning train coaches into wards

NEW DELHI: A key Covid-19 task force has said the railways should covert running trains into dedicated isolation and treatment centres.

The Indian Railways has already set up stationary isolation coaches, but the task force said it would not serve the desired purpose. The issue was raised on Friday at a meeting of the group on medical emergency and management plan by its head, VK Paul.

The minutes of the meeting quoted Paul as saying that the coaches would not serve much purpose if they were to function only as Level-1 stationary Covid-care centres. “In order to exploit the advantage of care facilities on rails, it was important that they should be upgraded at least to the Level-2, that is dedicated Covid health centres,” he said. “The true strength of the isolation coaches would be if they could be rushed into remote hotspots, or areas where the existing health facilities are being overwhelmed, so as to augment the capacity,” Paul said.


Paul did not respond to ET’s text seeking comment till press time.