HUBBALLI: As many as 320 railway coaches which have been converted into Covid care centres by the South Western Railways, will be placed in fourteen railway stations including Hubballi, Bengaluru and Vasco-da-Gama. Considering the possibility of an increase in the number of Covid cases, these coaches will help to isolate suspected or confirmed cases. The coaches have been separated for suspected and confirmed cases to avoid cross-infection. Each person will be assigned an individual cabin and if the situation warrants, two patients can be accommodated.
SWR chief public relations officer E Vijaya said, “The trains will be stabled at the railway stations only if the state government requires them and the necessary manpower will be provided. After the allocation by Railways, the train shall be placed at any of the 14 stations with necessary infrastructure, and handed over to the deputy commissioners or any authorized personnel.” The state government is assigning one dedicated Covid hospital to each train so that patients can be shifted to the hospital in case of an emergency.
SWR will provide necessary healthcare staffers at Hubballi, Bengaluru, Mysuru and Yesvantpur. “The state government will provide manpower at all other stations,” she said. An ambulance with basic life support equipment will be provided by the state government at the railway stations. SWR will provide oxygen cylinders in each coach and other necessary items including linen. The Railways will make all the arrangements inside the coaches as well.