Bengaluru: The Indian Railways has dedicated 4000 covid care coaches with as many as 64000 beds to be used by state governments in treatment of covid patients. 

These coaches will be placed at railway stations across the country.

It has to be noted that it was last year that the railway ministry began converting railway coaches into isolation units as the virus first broke out in India. 

Now as the second wave peaks, the railways has begun to put them back in use. 

The governments of Maharashtra and many such states have sought the positioning of these coaches in these stations to meet the treatment of the patients. 

Economic Times adds that in Delhi alone, 50 coaches with 800 beds are deployed at Shakurbasti station, where four patients are currently admitted, while 25 coaches with 400 beds are stationed at Anand Vihar Terminal, the railway ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The railways has also started what’s called Oxygen Express to supply oxygen to different parts of the country.  

The air force has also pitched in to help supply oxygen to different parts of the country. 

Meanwhile, the Centre has issued funds under the PMCARES Fund to install 551 PSA Oxygen Generation Plants in public health facilities. 

This will boost the availability of medical oxygen to hospitals.  

DRDO pitches in, builds hospitals, transfers oxygen technology: 

DRDO has used this technology to create 1000 litres of oxygen per minute which can be translated into civilian use. 

It is an indigenously built technology (specifically for India-manufactured aircraft) used to supply oxygen to the aircrew by supplying oxygen using bleed air from the engine and separating oxygen from other components, using a process called Pressure Swing Adsorption Technology. 

With this technology the pilot can remain airborne for a long time. Till this time, the pilots had to get to the ground, maybe an hour or so after they were airborne to refill oxygen.