Bengaluru: In an exhibition of its willingness to serve the nation differently, the Indian Railways has is thinking to convert its coaches and cabins into isolation wards in rural and remote areas, as reported by a popular website. 

The railways has taken a decision not to run its passenger services but has kept its freight trains running. 

According to the website, the proposal of using coaches was discussed in a video conference meeting of "Railway Minister with Chairman Railway Board VK Yadav, General Managers of all zones and

Divisional Railway Managers over video conferencing on Wednesday."

In the meeting, it was brainstormed as to how the existing coaches could be put to good use during this hour of Covid-19. 

As per an Indian Express report: While the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala has been tasked with the duty of converting LHB coaches into isolation wards, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the makers of Train 18 (India’s first electric semi-high speed train), is attempting to manufacture ventilators.

The website further added that the decision on the number of patients in each coach considering some vital factors required for the facility, such as the distance between each patient, essential equipment for monitoring, the use of toilet and hygiene, will be taken. Finalising of the design will lead to the visualising and placing of aspects and details of an isolation ward in a short time for, what could be, a long battle against Covid-19.

At the time of writing this report, the number of deaths in India was 16 while the number of detected cases was 656. 

Such ability by the Railways to convert its coaches into isolation wards is surely a welcome move, keeping in mind that the country needs more spaces to prevent the virus from spreading.