At a review meeting on the preparedness of Indian Railways at its various zones and divisions across the country in the wake of a surge in covid cases, a decision on Monday was taken to facilitate the use of railway hospitals and health infrastructure for the general public.

The meeting was virtually attended by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and attended by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Railway Board V K Tripathi and senior officials of the railway ministry besides the General Managers and Divisional Railway Managers of all zonal railways and public sector units.

“The Railways Minister directed the senior officials of various Railway zones and divisions to facilitate the use of Railway hospitals and health infrastructure for the general public,” a ministry note giving detail of the meeting here said.

Accordingly, it was decided to ramp up the Covid care facilities and create awareness about the threat being posed by the pandemic and the need of wearing masks while entering the railway platform, hand washing, and maintaining social distance.

The railways have decided to further increase the frequency of announcements at railway stations about masking up, sanitisation of hands, and other precautionary measures and discourage entry of people without a mask at railway stations.

It was decided to run drives to promote the wearing of masks and other precautionary measures. It was further decided to review the running of special trains for and to destinations in case of emergency and sudden surge in the number of passengers or migrants at railway stations during the current Covid pandemic.

The railways have further decided to keep its pediatric ward functioning and continue vaccination of children and staff of railways besides making provisions for a booster dose for frontline workers of Indian Railways.

Steps were proposed to be initiated to ensure the availability of medicines, oxygen supply, zeolite stock, and other necessary medical support and functioning of ventilators, liquid medical oxygen tanks, and other equipment critical in the treatment of Covid patients.

About the availability of oxygen supply, the ministry officials informed about the commissioning of oxygen plants. Out of total sanctioned oxygen plants, 78 have already been commissioned and 17 are yet to be commissioned, it was further informed by the ministry.