The Indian Railways has converted 5,231 non-airconditioned coaches into isolation coaches to be used by state governments when medical facilities are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.

The coaches have been converted at the level of COVID Care Center (CCC) as per the ‘Guidance Document on Appropriate Management of Suspect/Confirmed cases of COVID-19’ circulated by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

These facilities are part of the integrated COVID plan developed by MoHFW and NITI Ayog and are normally to be used when state facilities are overwhelmed, the Railways said. 

AC coaches are not suitable because of the potential transmission risk of coronavirus through AC ducting, the Ministry of Railways said in a press release. 

The clarification from the Railways came after Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the "soaring temperatures and the heat will make it problematic for our medical staff to operate while wearing PPE kits."

Sisodia, after inspecting the coaches provided by the Railways earlier this week, had said it will be a problem for patients as well. He said the Delhi government has been provided 50 coaches with 800 beds so far. The coaches are placed at Shakur Basti and Anand Vihar railway stations. 

The ministry said the health ministry had stipulated that the Facility should be well ventilated with adequate scope for natural lighting, and Air Conditioning if provided, should be non-ducted which rules out AC Coaches.

"The issue of AC vs NAC coaches was discussed with NiTi Ayog and Ministry of Health and Family welfare before converting these coaches for COVID Patients. It was agreed that AC coaches would not be suitable given the potential transmission risk of COVID 19 virus through AC ducting, and generally, a higher ambient temperature was expected to assist in fighting the virus and cross circulation of air through open windows will benefit patients," the ministry said.

It is reiterated that it was decided by the Empowered Group to convert Non-Air Conditioned coaches into Covid Care Centres because of the unsuitability of Air-conditioned coaches due to the potential transmission risk, and the fact that a well-ventilated area with slightly higher temperature was expected to aid in recovery.

As per the COVID train procedure prepared by MoHFW, One emergency resuscitation facility shall be set up on the platform adjacent to the platform where the train is parked, by the associated health unit. One changing facility for doffing at the end of the train on the platform where the train is parked is required to be provided. This facility, if not available as a permanent set up, may be provided as a temporary arrangement.

It was advised that these coaches would be used only when the state facilities would get overwhelmed and it was expected that these coaches could be required for use by mid-July, by which time the virus was expected to peak.

The Non AC coaches would be a little warm in mid-June if the windows are kept closed, and the ambient temperature may also be around 43 °C. But, once mosquito nets are installed and the windows kept open, the cross circulation of air is expected to improve the temperature. It may be noted that even this kind of temperature is expected to be a temporary phenomenon as the arrival of monsoon and rains would bring relief.

To beat the heat build-up inside the coaches due to summer temperatures, a multi-pronged strategy is being adopted which includes cover sheets, bubble wrap around the coaches and heat-reflective paint on the roof. 

Trials are also being planned for another coating developed in association with IIT, Mumbai. Arrangements are also being made to paint the roof with a heat-reflecting paint or provide a bamboo chic etc which will lower the temperature further.

A trial has been done by placing portable coolers inside the coaches. A temperature reduction of up to 3°C was achieved using these coolers.

Water mist systems are also being tried out. In the current season of dry air, it is expected that the resulting temperature reduction would enhance the comfort of expected patients.

"It may be noted that Railways is making these Coaches available as a service provider to State Governments as per the Guidelines issued by MOHFW. These coaches were to be utilized by States as a contingency measure only when all other means to isolate the Covid patients have been exhausted. More than 5000 coaches are ready for any such contingency," the ministry said.