The zonal railway has 299 coaches ready to assist the State Health Departments. The zone which had converted 573 non-AC second class sleeper coaches into isolation coaches to accommodate COVID patients during the first wave last year, later restored more than 270 coaches and pressed them into usual train service for want of requirement.

According to officials, more than 270 coaches have been ‘berthed’ as train sets in operationally feasible stations to support COVID assistance in all divisions of the zone except Palakkad. The railway zone has yet to receive any order for fresh coach conversion. SR officials told DT Next that they have not been approached by either Tamil Nadu or Kerala governments to provide isolation coaches for COVID patients without severe symptoms. “Some 20 and odd coaches have been used in Maharashtra and Delhi. We have not received any request from State governments here. But we have kept the coaches ready in sheds and stations where it is operationally feasible to mobilise and use them as isolation wards,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

On converting more coaches into isolation facility, the official added, “Even the converted coaches are yet to be put to use here. So, we do not see the need to convert more coaches into isolation coaches here. If the need arises, we are ready to convert more coaches with Railway Board’s consent.”

Sources in the railway workshops in Perambur also confirmed they have not received orders for further coach conversion.