Surge in COVID-19 cases: Isolation coaches ready for emergency use

Each coach can accommodate 16 to 18 patients at a time and the coaches have been retrofitted with required amenities

The South Western Railway has reviewed the condition of 320 isolation coaches under its jurisdiction to cope with any emergency in the wake of the daily surge in the COVID-19 cases and the scenario of hospitals running out of beds in the State. The State has recorded over 19,000 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours alone, taking the total number of active cases to over 1.33 lakh and these numbers were increasing by the minute. Sources in the SWR told The Hindu that out of 320 isolation coaches almost 80 per cent were found fit for immediate deployment in case of any medical emergency and requirement. In case of the remaining coaches it would require minor maintenance work and the authorities were already at it.