Coronavirus pandemic | Railways deploys doctors, paramedics; converts coaches into isolation units to combat COVID-19 outbreak

Representative image (Image: AP)

The Indian Railways has deployed more than 2,500 doctors and 35,00o paramedical staff to counter the coronavirus outbreak in the country, the health ministry said on April 8 during a press briefing.

"Their (Railways') chain of 586 health units, 45 sub-divisional hospitals, 56 divisional hospitals, eight production unit hospitals and 16 zonal hospitals are dedicating their significant facilities to fight COVID-19," Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary of the health ministry, said.

"In order to prepare 80,000 isolation beds, Indian Railways is converting 5,000 coaches into isolation units, of which 3,250 have been converted," Agarwal added.

Earlier in the day, the Railways had said it is introducing time-tabled parcel trains for nationwide transportation of essential commodities and other goods on 40 routes.

The Railway Board had also held a video conference to discuss the post-April 14 scenario, in which it was decided that only special trains will be run and "all scheduled timetabled trains" will be cancelled. Thermal screening will also be carried out at all entry points and that social distancing will also have to be followed on trains.