If required, similar facility to be set up at Katra, Udhampur Stations
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 8: To supplement the existing hospitals in view of Coronavirus pandemic, the Railway authorities at Jammu Railway Station have converted six coaches into isolation cabins for accommodating and treating COVID-19 patients while in case of emergency, similar isolation coaches can be set up at Udhampur, Katra and Kathua stations.
Each converted coach has nine cabins , which have been modified and equipped with medical facilities as per the requirements. While one cabin in each coach has been kept for the Medical staff, the remaining eight are meant for the patients.
“Hence, a total number of 48 COVID-19 patients can be accommodated and treated in these 48 cabins of the six isolation coaches set up at Jammu Railway Station by the Railway authorities,” said Senior Divisional Traffic Manager, Chetan Taneja.
Informing that all medical facilities as per the requirement have been installed in each isolation coaches, Mr Taneja said that the facility was set up as per the directions of the Railway Department in consultation with own doctors and coordination with the J&K Union Territory Government,
“If required, similar isolation coaches can be set up at Udhampur, Kathua and Katra Stations and the Railway Department is fully prepared for the same in case of emergency,” said the Senior Divisional Traffic Manager.
Work on converting these coaches into isolation cabins were started only a few days back following a direction in this regard by the Railway Department, which has so far achieved more than fifty percent of the target in first phase of converting five thousand coaches into isolation wards for treating COVID-19 patients across the country.
For converting the coaches into isolation wards as per the approved prototype, middle berths in each cabin as well as the iron steps have been removed besides some other modifications in the passage to toilet. These coaches have been properly sanitized and readied with the required medical equipments for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
“These fully prepared isolation coached shall be made available to the Government for accommodating the patients as and when directions for the same are issued,” said the Sr DTM, adding that the Railway would not take much time for enhancing the capacity in case of emergency.
Pertinent to mention that the Indian Railway, which has suspended its passenger services in view of the ongoing lockdown, has announced to convert 20 thousand coaches into isolation centres for accommodating more than three lakh COVID-19 patients in case the pandemic outbreaks.
Meanwhile, to provide logistics support during COVID -19 lockdown, the Railway Department has decided to run five Parcel Express trains having total 70 trips between New Delhi- Guwahati, Amritsar- Howrah, Delhi- Jammu Tawi, Kalka- Ambala and Dehradun – Delhi Junction.
The 00403 Delhi Junction – Jammu Tawi Parcel Express train will depart from Delhi Junction from 09.04.2020 to 15.04.2020 at 10.30 PM to reach Jammu Tawi at 08.15 AM the next day. In the return direction, the 00404 Jammu Tawi – Delhi Junction Parcel Express train will depart from Jammu Tawi from 10.04.2020 to 16.04.2020 at 06.10 PM to reach Delhi Junction at 03.55 AM the next day.
Consisting of one Parcel van and one SLR coaches, the 00403/00404 Delhi Junction – Jammu Tawi -Delhi Junction Parcel Express Train will have stoppages at Panipat, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Pathankot Junction Railway stations enroute in both the directions.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
