South Western Railway Train Coaches Converted as Covid Care Centres to be Placed at 14 Stations
South Western Railway Train Coaches Converted as Covid Care Centres to be Placed at 14 Stations
TRAIN COACHES CONVERTED AS COVID CARE CENTRES TO BE PLACED AT 14 STATIONS ON SWR
The Ministry of Railways, as its contribution to national cause, has initiated conversion of Railway Coaches into Covid Care Centers to provide additional beds for COVID-19 patients as and when required.
Considering the possibility of increase in cases of COVID-19, Railways have decided to utilize these coaches as Covid Care Centre. These coaches will be used for the cases suspected/confirmed, and categorized into very mild/ mild as per Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website. Separate coaches for suspected and confirmed cases of Covid-19 are being ensured to avoid cross infection. As per standard operating procedure issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, each person will be assigned in individual cabin. In case if the situation warrants, up to 2 confirmed patients will be assigned a cabin.
SWR has modified 320 passenger coaches which is above target of 312 coaches, given by Railway Board. These Covid Care Centres meet the requirement of any possible exigency of keeping Covid-19 patients in isolation as and when required by the Government.
On SWR, Covid Care Centres will be placed and available at 14 stations. The 14 stations on SWR are as under:
1.Bengaluru; 2.Hubballi; 3. Mysuru; 4.Yesvantpur; 5.Harihar; 6.Shivamogga Town; 7.Hosapete; 8.Hassan; 9.Arsikere; 10.Bagalkot; 11.Talaguppa; 12.Vijayapura; 13.Belagavi; 14.Vasco-da-gama.
The special train coaches, after formation shall be cleaned, and disinfected as per protocol for disinfection of quarantine facilities issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Railways in coordination with the State Govt. will designate nodal officers for allocation of trains under them. The rakes will be stabled at the Railway stations only on requisition of the same from State Govt. and provision of necessary manpower. After the allocation by the Railways, the train shall be placed, at above mentioned stations with necessary infrastructure, and handed over to District Collector/ District Magistrate or one of their authorized persons. The state Government is mapping one Covid Dedicated Hospital for each train so that patient can be shifted to the hospital in case of emergency.SWR will provide necessary healthcare staff at Hubballi, Bengaluru, Mysuru and Yesvantpur. At all other stations manpower will be provided by the Stage Govt. An ambulance with basic life support with oxygen and ambubag in case of emergency will be provided by the State Govt. at the Railway Station where the train is placed. SWR will provide oxygen cylinders in each coach & other necessary items including linen etc. as prescribed by the MoHFW for the Covid Care Centers. Para – medic staff will ensure bio medical waste segregation being followed in hospitals is followed in the Covid Care Centres.
The staff deployed on the special train coaches would work under the overall supervision of the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of the concerned District or the nodal officer identified by the respective District Collector\Magistrate. Standard Treatment Protocols of the Ministry shall be followed for management of cases.
Railways will be making arrangements for watering of coaches regularly, provision of proper electricity connection, maintenance of electric installations and any other repairs required in coaches.
Wherever required, Catering arrangements will be made by IRCTC/ Commercial Department of Railway. Railway Protection Force will ensure security to the coaches, patients and staff working.
For guidance of persons using the Railway coaches, separate signages will be placed outside the railway stations, platforms and near location of coaches in a way that they are separate from general public using railway facilities.
The efforts of Indian Railways have been aimed not only to supplement the present health infrastructure of the nation but also to contribute to national efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Here’s a verified summary of the South Western Railway’s initiative to convert passenger train coaches into COVID‑19 care centres, deployed across 14 stations in Karnataka:
Contents
🚆 Overview: SWR’s Train Coaches as COVID Care Centres
- In March–April 2025, South Western Railway (SWR) converted 312–320 sleeper-class coaches into Level‑1 isolation wards for COVID‑19 (mild & suspected cases) across its network.
- Each coach was retrofitted with eight individual cabins, including one reserved for paramedic staff, with optional double occupancy if needed. Modifications included:
- Removal of middle berths
- Plastic curtains for isolation
- Electrical outlets for phones or laptops
- Mosquito nets
- Oxygen cylinders, basic sanitation facilities
- A capacity of approximately 2,400 beds was created across these coaches.
🗺️ Deployment Locations: 14 Stations in Karnataka
SWR arranged these coaches to be placed at railway stations only upon state government requisition, with staffing and medical coordination handled locally. The 14 identified stations include:
Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru, Yesvantpur, Harihar, Shivamogga Town, Hosapete, Hassan, Arsikere, Bagalkot, Talaguppa, Vijayapura, Belagavi, Vasco-da-Gama.
🧑⚕️ Operational Protocol & Coordination
- Each coach was linked to a designated COVID hospital for emergency transfers.
- Medical staff were provided by SWR at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Yesvantpur; other locations staffed via state government support.
- SWR ensured oxygen cylinders, linen, ambulance provisioning, sanitation, and regular coach maintenance.
- Security oversight was handled by Railway Protection Force; food services by IRCTC.
🔄 Outcome & Current Status
- Despite conversion of 320 coaches, the wards were reportedly never utilized for patient care.
- By later mid‑2025, SWR began re‑converting these coaches back into consignment/freight stock, due to lack of demand.
✅ Summary Table
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of coaches converted | 312–320 sleeper-class coaches |
| Capacity created | ~2,400 beds (~8 per coach) |
| Station deployment | 14 SWR stations (chiefly in Karnataka) |
| State coordination | SWR doctors in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Yesvantpur; others by state |
| Outcome | Not used for patient care; largely stood unused |
| Current status | Coaches reconverted to freight use |
ℹ️ Broader Context
- The initiative was part of a nationwide effort by Railways to convert 5,000+ coaches into COVID isolation wards, across 215+ locations—primarily for mild or suspected cases.
- The move was widely publicized as a rapid health infrastructure backup, though many zones—including SWR—reported no actual deployment of patients, raising questions on resource utilization.
Let me know if you’d like to explore:
- Conversion efforts by other zones,
- SOPs issued by Railways/Health Ministry,
- Details on how coaches were retrofitted and later demobilized.