Durg (Chhattisgarh): While many cities including the national capital face a shortage of hospital beds to accommodate COVID-19 patients, the railways' 900-bedded isolation coaches are lying unused in Chhattisgarh.
In 2020, due to increasing cases, the Indian railways had converted many railway coaches to isolation wards. In Raipur and Bilaspur, the South East Central Railway zone (SECR) had converted around 105 non-ac wagons into isolation wards.
Around 900 covid patients can be provided beds in these coaches. Out of these 900 coaches, 400-bedded coaches remain unused in Durg district only.
Being unused for over a year, these coaches have become dusty. About Rs. 2l akh per coach was spent in making them, but so far no patient has been admitted to these isolation coaches.
According to the information, more such coaches have been made in Bilaspur.
READ: 32-year-old prisoner dies of COVID in Chhattisgarh
The administrative's mismanagement and lack of coordination between government agencies created uproar in public. The railways had provided 8 beds in every coach for Covid patients, which can be converted into 16 beds if needed. In order to construct an isolation cabin prototype for the patients, the middle berth was removed from one side of the coach.
READ: Chhattisgarh village wedding turns Covid-19 super-spreader
The toilets of the coaches were also modified. Plastic curtains were installed inside the coaches to prevent infection. Mobile charging points were made available. Oxygen cylinders were also installed for patients in each cabin.
When the ETV Bharat contacted the Public Relations Officer of SECR, it was informed that the organization is ready to provide the coaches to the government following due procedures.
READ: COVID-19 lockdown: Social organisations provide food to needy in Chhattisgarh
Durg District Collector Dr. Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure said the matter has been communicated to the health secretary.
"As of now, no instructions have been received from the government in this regard. As soon as instructions are received we will use these isolation coaches. There is an adequate arrangement of beds in the district," Bhure said.
