Delhi has nearly 45,000 cases of coronavirus to date
New Delhi:
Amid a disturbing and constant increase in new cases of coronaviruses across the country, Indian railways have deployed 960 specially equipped coaches in five states to act as COVID-19 isolation and treatment centers for patients with mild symptoms.
Delhi will have 503 of these coaches stationed at nine locations across the city; this will increase the number of beds for coronavirus patients in the nation’s capital by more than 8,000. As a result, it will also increase the number of hospital beds and resources available for people with severe symptoms.
Several modifications have been made to these trainers, each capable of accommodating up to 16 COVID-19 positive people, to ensure that treated patients can stay comfortable and those who care for them can take precautions against infection.
Among the modifications are the addition of trash cans next to each berth, mosquito nets on all windows (they are all non-air conditioned coaches) and, above all, oxygen bottles in each trainer for patients who may have respiratory problems .
Other modifications include plastic curtains that separate the parts of the buses from each other to minimize the spread of the infectious COVID-19 virus.
Changes have also been made to the toilets – some have been turned into showers.
Sanitation and waste disposal is also a major challenge, given the number of people who will be living in confined spaces. Special collection points have been set up in each coach for this purpose.
Yet another challenge is the brutal heat. With Delhi temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius daily, it is not yet known how the railways will handle this problem.
270 of these special coaches were deployed at Anand Vihar station in Delhi and normal services were suspended because all platforms were reserved for COVID-19 isolation trainers and medical staff caring for patients.
The entire station has been divided into three zones – red, orange and green. The platforms, where the coaches will stand, will be a red zone; this means that only healthcare workers and disinfection personnel wearing full PPE (personal protective equipment) can enter.
Social distancing marks are drawn on the platforms of Anand Vihar station
The placement of these coaches in Delhi comes amid a crisis in the national capital. Delhi has seen a massive increase in coronavirus cases, with more than 1,000 new infections reported daily in the past few days.
The Delhi government, which is struggling to find hospital beds and medical resources, has forecast that it will need about 80,000 additional beds by the end of next month for the estimated 5.5 cases in 5,000 lakh.
Interior Minister Amit Shah met Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal this week to review the situation; it was after the Supreme Court indicted the Delhi government for its “horrible, horrible and pathetic” handling of the crisis.
Late Wednesday evening, Shah’s ministry also said that the price of COVID-19 tests in Delhi would be capped at 2,400 rupees; it was previously Rs 4,500.
Delhi has 44,688 cases and 1,837 deaths have been linked to the virus.
