South Western Railway’s isolation coaches go abegging

BENGALURU: While Bengaluru is facing a severe shortage of hospital beds due to the spike in Covid-19 cases, the government is yet to utilise passenger coaches — converted into isolation wards by South Western Railway — for treating the patients.
SWR had turned 320 coaches into isolation wards and stationed them at 14 railway stations, including KSR Bengaluru City, Hubballi, Mysuru, Yeshwantpur, Harihar, Shivamogga Town, Hosapete, Hassan, Arsikere, Bagalkot, Talaguppa, Vijayapura, Belagavi and Vasco Da Gama (Goa). The middle berths of sleeper coaches were removed and equipment, including oxygen cylinders, was provided.
States like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh have either requested for or used such coaches for Covid purposes. However, SWR officials said Karnataka is yet to approach the railways.
SWR chief public relations officer E Vijaya said: “We have not received any request from the government so far. Only those with mild symptoms will be lodged in these coaches.”
Government sources say they will use these coaches in case of an emergency. “This will be the last option. It’s more viable to convert stadia, marriage halls, educational institutions and convention centres into isolation facilities. The high temperature inside coaches as well as poor ventilation is not suitable for both patients as well as health staff wearing PPEs all the time. The coaches are parked in deserted areas, which are difficult for staff to access in case of an emergency. Poor toilet facilities is also an issue,” said an official.
In May, the railway board had said 50-60% of its 5,213 isolation coaches meant for Covid patients across the country would run as Shramik Special trains. It had asked all railway zones to remove oxygen tanks and ventilators as well as mosquito nets and plastic curtains from more than half the coaches.
“Now all of them have been reconverted into isolation coaches as very few Shramik Specials are being run. In Bengaluru division, there are about 80 isolation coaches,” said Ashok Kumar Verma, Bengaluru divisional railway manager.
“These coaches will be deployed as and when the government wants. As per the standard operating procedure issued by the Union health ministry, the coaches will be used once the capacity in government or private hospitals is exhausted,” said Verma.