NFR modifies 315 passenger coaches to make 2500 isolation units for Covid-19 patients

Guwahati: The Guwahati-headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has modified 315 of its passenger coaches into 2,500 isolation units to cater to coronavirus

Published on: Apr 21, 2020, 18:54:19 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Guwahati: The Guwahati-headquartered Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has modified 315 of its passenger coaches into 2,500 isolation units to cater to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients in a bid to boost the government’s fight against the pandemic.

“We’ve modified 315 passenger coaches as 2,500 isolation units, which will be made available to health authorities, as and when required,” Subhanan Chanda, chief public relations officer (CPRO), NFR said.

NFR has also equipped the existing railway hospitals to meet the Covid-19 requirements, earmarking 170 hospital beds as isolation units, arranging about 800-bed quarantine facilities and recruiting additional doctors and paramedics to deal with any exigency.

The effort is part of NFR’s six-pronged strategy to tackle Covid-19 related emergencies. NFR serves all seven north-eastern states, parts of north Bengal and neighbouring Bihar.

“NFR has produced 2500 litres of hand sanitiser and 76,000 reusable face masks. It has also made 407 personal protective equipment (PPE) overalls,” Chanda said.

NFR has unloaded 450 rakes in good sheds across the north-east to ensure that there is no shortage of essential commodities in this remote part of the country. The authorities have sent 25 parcel express trains carrying goods to Dibrugarh (Upper Assam), Dimapur (Nagaland), Mendipathar (Meghalaya) and Agartala (Tripura) to date. Besides, they have also used their facilities to provide 85,000 free meals to the needy amid the pandemic.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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