After the lockdown period was announced, Indian Railways took the unprecedented step of suspending passenger trains until 14th April. Indian Railways has decided to convert the coaches into isolation wards. As many as 20,000 old train carriages will now be isolation wards where patients will get clean, sanitised and hygenic environment. 

Non AC arriages that are no longer operating on passenger routes have been identified to be turned into isolation wards for the corona affected patients. 

The first 5000 wards will be ready in a fortnight and more coaches will be added if needed within 48 hours, as informed by Rajesh Dutt Bajpai, Executive director of information and publicity at the Railway Board. 

Each carriage will be able to accommodate upto 16 patients, alongside a doctor's cabin, nurses' station and space for medical equipments and supplies. Once the trains are ready, they will be sent to any location that might be facing hospital bed crunch.

Government doctors, paramedics, nurses and volunteers will be assigned by the local health authorities. Railway factories have been instructed to assess the feasibility of manufacturing hospital beds, medical trolleys, stretchers, sanitisers, aprons, masks and other medical apparatus for use in railway hospitals and government hospitals.