Madurai
Madurai Railway Division is fast converting 43 passenger coaches into isolation wards in Madurai and Tirunelveli railway yards. The work is likely to be completed in the next couple of days.
The railways has chosen Integral Coach Factory-made coaches for this purpose. Coaches that are 15 to 20 years old have been selected for the purpose.
“Certain modifications have been made in the bays of general class coaches and non-AC sleeper class coaches to make them into beds. Each coach would have 18 beds,” a railway official said.
The work includes removal of middle berths, fixing of mosquito nets and conversion of Indian toilets into bathrooms with drainage facilities.
Clamps have been provided to fix medical equipment, including cylinders. Different types of dustbins and plastic curtains have been provided for partition. Coat stands and bottle holders are also being provided.
The conversions were possible with the untiring efforts of railwaymen. “Though many of the materials were procured from Golden Rock Railway Workshop, some of the materials were procured with great difficulty under the lockdown condition,” Additional Divisional Railway Manager, O.P. Shaw, said.
The coaches, which would be completely disinfected, could be moved to any remote location in the railway network based on the need of the State government,” Mr. Shaw said.