New Delhi: In an out-of-the-box idea that can effectively tackle the looming Coronavirus crisis, the government has embarked on a major plan to use trains as hospitals and isolations wards in case the pandemic Covid-19 infection spikes in India.
“The move has already commenced as military train ambulances have already been requisitioned for the purpose,” a top official source told ETV Bharat.
As the movement of all passenger trains has come to a total halt after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a nationwide lockout from Tuesday midnight onwards, there are trains that are standing idle all across the country. AC 2 tier coaches have been selected for the purpose. "Government will use trains as mobile hospitals to handle Covid 19 cases."
Amid increasing cases of persons testing positive for Covid 19, the effort is part of the government’s emergency plan in case the numbers of those infected surge.
“All one needs to do is to take out AC 2 tier coaches, made a few modifications and move in medical equipment like intensive care units, ventilators, etc. These train coaches can function as movable hospitals as well as isolation wards where the infected patients can be quarantined till they recover.”
“The other big advantage that such train hospitals have is that they can also be moved to places where the infection numbers are big and to places which do not have quarantine facilities. Moreover, the Indian Railways network connects the length and breadth of the country,” the official added.
All trains in the country are the property of the Indian Railways and the government. Excluding military ambulance coaches, the Indian Railways operates about 13,452 passenger trains that ply over a rail network length of more than 1,23,200 km across 7,350 stations. A single train can effectively position at least 800 beds for patients.
The idea may have come from the army which maintains ambulance coaches across the country to treat and transport battle casualties during emergencies. Such military rail ambulances were mobilized in a big way during ‘Operation Parakram’ in 2001-2002 which saw a military standoff between India and Pakistan when troops and military equipment were massed on both sides of the border.
Incidentally, the Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has been part of most top government meetings on ways to tackle the Coronavirus threat.
On Thursday too, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting where General Rawat, Army chief General MM Naravane, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria besides top Defence ministry officials were in attendance.
The armed forces have been at the forefront of the battle against coronavirus. The IAF has flown in Indians from China, Japan and Iran. Presently, 1,073 persons are under the medical care of the armed forces while 389 have been discharged from the facilities at Maneshwar, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Mumbai.
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