Rlys wonder how to beat the heat in Covid coaches

Equipped with handheld showers, mosquito nets, bio-toilets, power sockets, oxygen cylinders and more, the Railways’ Covid-care coaches have it all to keep patients comfortable — but only if they can withstand the summer heat trapped inside the metal ‘boxes’.

In an effort to augment the government’s efforts to build infrastructure to deal with the spread of Covid-19, the Railways has converted 5,321 non-AC sleeper class ICF (older design) coaches and developed them into COVID Care Level 1 centres for patients with mild symptoms or those suspected to have the infection.

Suspected and confirmed cases will be kept in separate coaches, officials said, adding that 960 coaches in five states have already been deployed. These include 503 coaches in Delhi and 372 in Uttar Pradesh.

The coaches are “ready to move in’ but there are no takers yet. Two or more air-conditioned coaches will also be provided for the medical staff to rest in.

June is a hot month, the hottest in many parts of the country, and the biggest challenge is how to make sure the patients are comfortable. Officials are hoping the monsoon sets in to bring some relief from the infamous Indian summer and some said in hushed tones that the coaches might well be useless otherwise.

Using non-air conditioned coaches was mandated by the Health Ministry, they said, adding that temperatures inside the coaches could reach 43 degrees Celsius, making it unbearable inside.

The Railways is now experimenting with a variety of options to bring down the temperature inside the coaches. These include bamboo blinds on windows and bubblewrap on the roof as well as heat-resistant coating and portable coolers.

It has also used coversheets over the coaches to keep the heat out and the interiors cool.

◗ THE RAILWAYS has converted 5,321 non-AC sleeper class ICF (older design) coaches and developed them into COVID Care Level 1 centres for patients with mild symptoms