Roof insulation for COVID-19 coaches in high temperature areas: Railways

NEW DELHI: The Railways will insulate the roofs of COVID-19 isolation coaches deployed in areas which experience high temperatures to make their interiors cooler and more comfortable for patients, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said on Monday.
The Railways has so far deployed 204 isolation coaches in four states. They will work as COVID-19 care centres.

The Railways' isolation wards are all non-AC coaches.

"In areas where the temperature is too high, roof insulation can be provided to bring down the temperature inside the coaches," said Yadav.

He also said that since May 1, the Railways has run 4,450 Shramik Special trains, carrying more than 60 lakh migrant workers home.

He said that COVID-19 coaches are meant to be deployed only when states exhaust their existing infrastructure. He said suspected and confirmed cases will be kept separate.

He also said that limited suburban services were started in Mumbai -- 100 pairs in central railways, 73 pairs in western railways -- after a request from the Maharashtra government.

These trains will only be run for people involved in essential services, he said.