Railways Introduces Post Covid Coach: Know Salient Features, How It Can Ensure Safety Amid Covid-19 Pandemic

These coaches are built with an improved design and facilitates handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails and latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating for Coronavirus-free passenger journey.

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New Delhi: The number of Coronavirus cases in India has crossed the 9-lakh mark with claiming 23,727  lives till date. From governments and private sectors to doctors and individuals, all are pushing the limits in finding measures that can curb the spread of the deadly disease and control the pandemic. Amid the long-going battle, Indian Railways has also taken an innovative move for keeping the travellers safe while travelling in trains. Sustaining the ruthless fight against COVID-19, Indian Railways’ production unit, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, has developed a ‘Post Covid Coach’ to fight COVID-19. These coaches are built with an improved design and facilitates handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails and latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating for Coronavirus-free passenger journey. Know How The ‘Post Covid Coach’ Will Ensure Your Safety Handsfree Amenities:  One of the measures taken by the Indian Railways to contain the COVID-19 infection and ensure safe journey in trains is the handsfree amenities. As said in a statement by the railways, the handsfree amenities in Post Covid Coaches includes foot operated water tap and soap dispenser, foot operated lavatory door (outside), foot operated flush valve, foot operated latches in lavatory door, outside washbasin with foot operated water tap and soap dispenser and forearm operated handle on compartment door. Copper-Coated Handrails And Latches:  The Indian Railways has claimed that the Post Covid Coaches are equipped with copper-coated handrails and latches. In a release, the railway authorities explained that this is done because copper degrades the virus landed on it within few hours. Copper has anti microbial properties and so, when the virus lands on copper, Ion blasts pathogen and destroy the DNA and RNA inside the virus. Plasma air purification:   Indian Railways announced that the newly designed ‘Post Covid Coach’ is equipped with ‘Plasma Air’ equipment in AC duct. The authorities briefed that this plasma air equipment will sterilize the air and surfaces inside the AC coach using ionised air to make the coach COVID-19 and particulate matter resistant.  This provision will also improve the ion concentration from 100 ions/cm3 to more than 6000 ions/cm. Titanium Di-oxide coating:   Post Covid Coach have Titanium Di-oxide (TiO2) coating in the coaches. The railways authorities in today’s statement said that the nano structured Titanium Dioxide Coating functions as photoactive material. This is an eco-friendly water-based coating that kills viruses, bacteria, mould, and fungal growth and most importantly enhances indoor air quality. It is non-toxic and approved by food testing laboratory of the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA), CE certified. TiO2 is considered to be a safe substance and is harmless to humans. Railways said that this Titanium Di-oxide coating is applied on washbasins, lavatory, seats and berths, snack table, glass window, floor, virtually every surface that comes in human contact.  Effective life of this coating is 12 months, Indian Railways said.