Bengaluru: In the view to render quarantine facility to persons who have tested positive to the novel coronavirus or suspected to be suffering from COVID-19, the South Western Railway has converted 270 Sleeper Coaches into isolation wards.

The wards have been prepared as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, as regulated by the Indian Railways.

An official on Friday said, "South Western Railway (SWR) zone has chipped in with 270 coaches converted into COVID quarantine wards to increase isolation facilities in the country".

"In a bid to increase the country's capacity for isolation facilities, Railways is converting sleeper class coaches into COVID isolation wards suitable to act as quarantine hubs," said an official spokesperson in a statement.

The railway coach quarantine wards are expected to meet any exigency as and when the government requires.

The coaches are equipped with facilities as required by medical guidelines and paramedics and each coach will turn into an eight berth cabin for isolation.

The official statement cited, "SWR has so far converted 270 coaches, as against a target of 312 coaches as quarantine wards as per isolation cabin prototype. This coach isolation prototype was issued by the Railway Board on March 30".

The middle berths and ladders are removed to ensure comfort and better space and plastic transparent air curtains are installed for isolation also screening.

Fixed bottle holders to hold medical equipment and water bottles and also designed a cabin for storage and paramedics near the bathroom among other tweaks.

There will be a continuous power supply. Sockets are arranged to operate the medical equipment. The Department of Health will supply oxygen cylinders as soon as the patient arrives at the ward.

Among the 270 coaches, SWR's Hubballi Workshop converted 76 coaches, Mysuru Workshop (71), Bengaluru Division (61), Mysuru Division (29) and Hubballi Division (33).

Suresh Angadi, Minister of State for Railways is scheduled to visit Hubballi Workshop on Friday to review the progress