50 COVID Care Rail Coaches Positioned In Uttar Pradesh But State Government Yet To Requisition Them!

Lucknow, April 28 (TNA) At a time when Railways has, amongst its multi-pronged initiatives, deployed nearly 4000 Isolation Coaches with almost 64000 beds, Uttar Pradesh, one of the worst-hit states in the country are yet to requisition the 50 coaches-800 bed capacity, which is standing unused at Faizabad, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Bareli & Nazibabad.

This information was shared by the union government on Wednesday on the PIB website.

To work concurrently with the States and in a bid to reach out as swiftly as possible, the Railway has drawn a de-centralised plan of action empowering Zones and Divisions to work out their Memorandum of Agreement for cohesive action. These Isolation Coaches can be easily moved and positioned at places of demand on the Indian Railways network.

Accordingly, as per States’ demand, at present 191 coaches have been handed over to various states for Covid care with a bed-capacity of 2990 beds. Isolation Coaches are presently utilised at Delhi, Maharashtra (Ajni ICD, Nandrubar), Madhya Pradesh (Tihi near Indore). The Railways has also positioned 50 coaches at major cities of Uttar Pradesh like Faizabad, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Bareli & Nazibabad.

At Nandrubar (Maharashtra), 58 patients are currently utilising the facility. Cumulatively, upto now, 85 admissions were registered with subsequent discharge of patients by State Health Authorities. 330 beds are still available.

Both the government and private hospitals are full to capacity and people are dying unattended.

In Delhi, the Railway has catered to the full demand of State Governments’ demand for 75 Covid Care Coaches with a capacity of 1200 beds. 50 coaches are positioned at Shakurbasti and 25 Coaches at Anand Vihar stations. 5 admissions were registered as on date. 1196 beds are still available.

With regard to the demand by the State Govt of Madhya Pradesh for 2 coaches, the Ratlam Division of Western Railway has deployed 22 Coaches with a capacity of 320 beds at Tihi station near Indore. At Bhopal, where 20 coaches are deployed, there were 13 admissions with one discharge as per latest data. 280 beds are available at this facility.

The utilisation of these facilities in the above-mentioned states, as per latest records, cumulatively registers 103 admissions with 39 subsequent discharges. Presently 64 Covid patients are utilising the isolation coaches.