The South Western Railway (SWR) had converted 320 coaches into COVID-19 care centres to house patients at a cost of approximately ₹30,000 each. At the time of launching the initiative, SWR had maintained that the move would help boost the country’s capacity for isolation wards. However, to date, these converted sleeper coaches have not been used for their new purpose as there is no demand for them by the State government.
The SWR is now using around 160 of these modified coaches to ferry migrant workers in Shramik Special trains.
Chief PRO E. Vijaya said: “For the last 10 days, we have been using half of the total converted coaches to ferry migrant workers especially to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The rest of the converted coaches are stationed at our railway facilities at different locations in the State. Available coaches can be used by the Health Department at the district level whenever they are in need. Till now, we have not received any communication from the department to use these converted coaches.”
The remaining converted coaches are stationed at Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru, Yeshwantpur, Harihar, Shivamogga Town, Hosapete, Hassan, Arsikere, Bagalkot, and other locations.
Their fate remains in question, though SWR officials say that there is no proposal to change them back to their original form.
In accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, each coach had been refitted to have only eight berth cabins for isolation facilities. Middle berths and ladders were removed to ensure comfort and better space, while provisions were made for oxygen cylinders. Electric sockets were provided for equipment. “We have no directions to reconvert these coaches. In the coming days, there could be a need for them,” said an official.
Officials insist that it was not a wasted effort, as they were used to ferry migrant workers without any remodifications.
“This helped maintain social distancing as they are spacious compared to other conventional coaches,” the official added.