Delhi: First lot of Covid-19 isolation coaches deployed at Shakur Basti station

NEW DELHI: The Northern Railway has deployed the first set of Covid-19 isolation coaches at Shakur Basti station in Delhi. The rake with 10 coaches has 160 beds to accommodate those being treated for the viral infection.
The railways had converted 5,321 non-air conditioned coaches into isolation wards about two months ago and this is for the first time 10 railway coaches are being put to use amid the national capital reporting a steady rise in numbers of cases in recent days.
According to Northern Railway, the Covid-19 Care Centre Isolation rake was stationed at Washing Line Complex at coaching depot at Shakur Basti on Sunday at the request of the Delhi government.
On Sunday, the Northern Railway informed Delhi government that the rake with 10 isolation coaches and one AC coach for staff was deployed as per requirement. These coaches have been equipped and made ready as per approved Covid-19 coaches protocol. The railways will provide water, electricity, linen, oxygen cylinders and security arrangement.
But the Delhi government will have to make arrangement for men, material for all on-board management of patients and other works of housekeeping, laundry and catering to biomedical waste.
Earlier, the government had earmarked 215 railway stations for the deployment of isolation coaches for suspected or confirmed patients and Shakur Basti was one of those identified stations.