दक्षिणपूर्वरेलवे
SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY
प्रेसविज्ञप्ति
PRESS RELEASE
SER MODIFIES 338 PASSENGER COACHES INTO ISOLATION/QUARANTINE
COACHES TO FACILITATE TREATMENT OF COVID-19 AFFECTED
Kolkata, 25th April, 2020:
South Eastern Railway has till now modified 338 passenger coaches into isolation/quarantine coaches as a contingency measure to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus. As a part of multipronged strategies to combat the spread of COVID-19, the Indian Railways has instructed all the zonal railways to convert non AC passenger carrying coaches into isolation/quarantine coaches. In this context, South Eastern Railway has been entrusted to modify 329 passenger coaches in to isolation/quarantine coaches by the Railway Board and this railway superseded the initial allotted mark.
The work for conversion of passenger coaches into isolation/quarantine coaches has been carried out on war footing at Kharagpur Workshop, Santragachi Depot, Tatanagar Depot and Hatia Depot under the guidance of Medical Department of South Eastern Railway. The modified coaches have been equipped with necessary facilities to serve the COVID-19 affected people.
Basically sleeper and general class coaches are taken for modification to isolation/quarantine coaches. Steps have been taken to ensure disinfection and sanitization of the modified coaches. Mosquito nets have been fixed on the windows and measures have been taken to ensure proper ventilation. The middle berths of the coaches have been removed and all charging points for mobile and laptop have been made functional. one Indian style toilet has been converted into a bathing room with soap dispenser and other necessary facilities and there are 3 toilets with required arrangement. A converted coach has 9 cabins with 2 berths in each cabin. one cabin will be utilized by paramedical staff and the other 8 cabins are to accommodate 2 COVID-19 patients in each cabin. 03 dustbins (Red, Blue and Yellow color) with foot operated lids have been provided in all the cabins. Extra bottle holders and 3-peg coat hooks have been fixed in each cabin for holding medical equipments and suitable clamping arrangements have also been made for.
oxygen cylinder. The first cabin near bathing room is nominated as Paramedics/Store cabin and is screened off from the rest of the coach by plastic curtains.
The Ministry of Railways, as its contribution to national cause, has initiated conversion of coaches to provide additional beds and supports for COVID 19 affected people as and when required. During this crucial time of the country, SER’s dedicated workforce fulfilled its social commitments and responsibilities by working round the clock to complete the modification work of coaches before any emergency arises. The employees have carried out this work without compromising their personal safety and South Eastern Railway Administration has taken all necessary measures in this regard.
***********
