On Friday, the official Twitter handle of the Indian Railways informed that more than 1,00,000 wagons of essential items had been readied in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak. The essential supplies included the likes of foodgrains, fruits, vegetables, sugar, salt, dairy products, coal and petroleum products. The feat was achieved within 4 days wherein workers toiled 24 hours round the clock.
Indian Railways-Lifeline to the nation
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 27, 2020
During last four days, working 24/7, we have loaded more then one lakh wagons of items pertaining to essential supplies like foodgrain,coal, petroleum products, edible oil, onion,fruits & vegetables, sugar,salt, milk etc#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/zVEpUAt2PP
In a bid to meet the large demand for milk in the National Capital, the Guntakal Division of Indian Railways transported milk from Renigunta in Andhra Pradesh to Delhi yesterday.
To meet out the Milk requirement of national capital Delhi, Guntakal Division of Indian Railways is transporting milk from Renigunta(near Tirupati) in Andhra Pradesh to Delhi. pic.twitter.com/10OmnY5v9W
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 26, 2020
Earlier, the Indian Railways had offered its coaches and cabins to be used as isolation wards for the patients who are tested positive Wuhan coronavirus. It will be used as a hospital on the wheel for mainly those areas where people have inadequate medical facilities. Reportedly, the proposal was discussed in a meeting of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal with Chairman Railway Board VK Yadav, General Managers of all zones and Divisional Railway Managers through video conferencing on Wednesday.
The idea popped up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the cabinet to look for innovative ideas in order to boost medical facilities across the nation in wake of novel coronavirus crisis that is spreading rapidly. The compartments of railways will be used as a hospital on wheels with consultation rooms, medical stores, Intensive Care Unit, and pantry. These hospitals on wheels will be settled anywhere across the country wherever the patients will be found with inadequate medical facilities. Railways will also have a slew of Accident Relief Medical Equipment Vans (ARME) called as rail ambulances.