Conversion of Passenger Compartments into Isolation Wards
5601 coaches have been converted into Covid Care Centers by Indian Railways (IR) in the months of March, April, May and June of 2020 to combat Corona virus pandemic. The Zonal Railway wise details of the conversion of these coaches are as under:
| S.No. | Zonal Railways | Coaches converted into isolation coaches |
| 1 | Central Railway | 482 |
| 2 | Eastern Railway | 381 |
| 3 | East Central Railway | 269 |
| 4 | East Coast Railway | 262 |
| 5 | Northern Railway | 897 |
| 6 | North Central Railway | 141 |
| 7 | North Eastern Railway | 217 |
| 8 | Northeast Frontier Railway | 315 |
| 9 | North Western Railway | 266 |
| 10 | Southern Railway | 573 |
| 11 | South Central Railway | 486 |
| 12 | South Eastern Railway | 338 |
| 13 | South East Central Railway | 111 |
| 14 | South Western Railway | 320 |
| 15 | Western Railway | 410 |
| 16 | West Central Railway | 133 |
| Total | 5601 |
As per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, these special train coaches are to be used by the State Governments only after they have exhausted their own medical facilities. As on date, 813 coaches have been provided by IR as requisitioned by the State Governments (De1hi-503, Uttar Pradesh-270 and Bihar-40).
For conversion of these coaches into Covid Care Coaches, minor modifications like removal of middle berth and conversion of one toilet into shower room was carried out with provision of medical facilities and other items. The average cost of carrying out modifications and provision of medical facilities including oxygen cylinders and other items is approximately ₹60,000/- per coach. Average expenditure of approximately ₹7,000/- has been incurred per patient in the covid care coaches.
This information was given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
