Lok Sabha Question No. 690 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-16
Subject: Conversion of Coaches into Covid Care Units
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. T. Sumathy (a) Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 690 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.09.2020

## CONVERSION OF COACHES INTO COVID CARE UNITS

690.  DR. T. SUMATHY (a) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:
2. SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR:
3. Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
4. (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  effective  steps  to  open Passenger railway transport as its operations were halted amid the outbreak of the COVID-19;
5. (b) if so, the details thereof and the approximate time by which the passenger train services are to be restored;
6. (c) the  appropriate  action  plan  decided  or  to  be  taken  by  the Government to mitigate the problems faced by people once the train  services  restart  all  over  the  country  after  COVID-19 lockdown;
7. (d) whether  the  Government  has  provided  large  number  of  rail coaches  for  temporary  COVID-19  treatment  and  care  units during the lockdown crisis;
8. (e) if so, the details thereof and the utility status of such transformed rail coaches in the country, railway zone-wise; and
9. the approximate time by which these transformed coaches are
10. (f) likely to be put into passenger transport again?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (f)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 690 BY DR. T. SUMATHY (a) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN AND SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 16.09.2020 REGARDING CONVERSION OF COACHES INTO COVID CARE UNITS. (a)  to  (c):    In  terms  of  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs'  guidelines  dated 01.05.2020    and    based  on  requests  from  the  State  Governments, Indian Railways operated Shramik Special trains w.e.f. 01.05.2020.  In order  to  gradually  reintroduce  passenger  services,  Indian  Railways resumed passenger train operations by operating 15  pairs of special trains  w.e.f.  12.05.2020  and  by  operating  100  pairs  of  trains  w.e.f. 01.06.2020.  Further, 43 pairs of special trains have been introduced w.e.f.  12.09.2020.  At  present,  only  special  trains  are  being  operated with limited stoppages, keeping in view the concerns and suggestions of  the  State  Governments,  to  facilitate  management  of  COVID-19 Pandemic protocol. (d) to (f): Yes, Sir. Indian Railways had converted 5231 Nos. of Non-AC ICF coaches into isolation coaches temporarily as COVID-19 isolation units during lockdown crisis. Zone wise status is as under-

| SN   | Zonal Railways   | Nos. of Coaches Converted into   |
|------|------------------|----------------------------------|
|      |                  | isolation coaches.               |

| 1     | Central Railway            |   482 |
|-------|----------------------------|-------|
| 2     | Eastern Railway            |   380 |
| 3     | East Central Railway       |   269 |
| 4     | East Coast Railway         |   261 |
| 5     | Northern Railway           |   540 |
| 6     | North Central Railway      |   130 |
| 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 | Total                      |  5231 |

As  per  their  requisition,  813  coaches  are  provided  to  the  State Governments  as  on  12.09.2020.  Subject  to  their  residual  codal  life, these  coaches  shall  be  restored  to  passenger  services  when  the requirement of these coaches to serve as isolation centres is fulfilled. *****