To safeguard its staff and their families against the deadly coronavirus, North Central Railway is manufacturing protective masks and sanitiser at its workshops and distributing them free of cost.
"So far, 61,400 masks and 4,762 litres of sanitiser have been manufactured. These are being distributed to railway personnel and their families free of cost. Protective masks are being manufactured every day," North Central Railway (NCR) PRO Amit Malviya said on Tuesday.
He said railway personnel at Allahabad, Jhansi and Agra are engaged in manufacturing these.
Besides, the NCR has distributed over 23,000 food packets to needy people living in the vicinity of railway stations, he added.
Malviya said social distancing is being strictly adhered to by the personnel while discharging their duties.
"At Agra Railway Hospital, a talk back system has been installed at the reception-cum-enquiry centre. As part of this system, communication between two persons, who are separated by a glass partition, is done using a speaker and microphone. Thus, social distancing is being followed," the public relations officer (PRO) said.
He added that this system will be installed in other railway hospitals as well.
Meanwhile, North Eastern Railway (NER) is converting 216 train coaches into isolation units.
Of these, 64 coaches are ready and work on the remaining 152 coaches will be completed by the end of this week, NER's Chief PRO Pankaj Singh said in Gorakhpur.
He said, "As many as 13 ready coaches are stationed at platform number 2 of the Gorakhpur railway station and they will be sent to other stations.
Each 'Rakshak' coach has 10 beds, toilet and bathroom, soaps, sanitiser, towels, disposable plates and glasses, etc."
Experts have warned that India is likely to see a surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the coming days.
Such isolation units could help ease the burden on the country's hospitals.
According to the 2011 Census, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that India had only 0.7 beds per 1,000 people.
While India has targeted to increase this to two beds, the WHO mandates for at least three beds per 1,000 people in the country.
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