In a bid to combat COVID-19, Indian Railways has placed a total of 270 isolation coaches at Anand Vihar railway terminal station, said Northern Railway CPRO Deepak Kumar on Tuesday.
"50 isolation coaches were placed at Shakurbasti yesterday. Today we have placed 270 coaches here at Anand Vihar railway terminal station. These coaches have been offered by Indian Railways for use by Delhi Government," Kumar told .
"Central government is providing 500 isolation coaches to Delhi government to help in the fight against COVID-19. The remaining coaches out of 500 will also be placed in the next two days after surveying places by Delhi government and the railways," he added.
Kumar said that a total of 8,000 beds in 500 coaches will be made available to the Delhi Government.
"All the isolation coaches will be well equipped with medical facilities. Those who have mild symptoms will be kept inside these coaches. As soon as it is known that the condition of any patient is not good, then they will be sent to the nominated hospital. A total of three oxygen cylinders are available in every coach," he said.
The 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.
The centre is providing 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.
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.
( With inputs from ANI )