Andhra Pradesh: Quarantine on wheels; Bharat Darshan tourist trains to have isolation coaches

VISAKHAPATNAM: In a bid to improve pandemic-related safety in trains, the Indian Railways has now decided to attach

isolation coaches

to moving trains. The four trains run under the

Bharat Darshan

package will have isolation coaches where patients experiencing

Covid-19 symptoms

en route will be put.


Speaking to TOI,

IRTC Bhubaneswar

regional manager Kaushik Banerjee said, “Such packages are usually designed for six to ten days. So, we have to keep some

quarantine facilities

for passengers who develop

Covid-19

symptoms en route.”

“Each train will have 11 sleeper class coaches and one AC-III tier coach as well as a pantry car. One of these sleeper class coaches will be used as an isolation coach if and when required,” Banerjee told TOI.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the Indian Railways developed over 5,000 Covid-care coaches across the country. These coaches were restricted to stations and were catering to

quarantine

needs of respective state governments. Now, isolation coaches will be fitted with moving trains.

Moreover, in order to maintain physical distancing on trains, the IRCTC has planned to allow booking of only 60% berths in these tourist trains. “Generally, an AC-III tier coach has 64 berths and a sleeper coach has 72. If you enter a coach, you will find six berths on one side and two side-berths on the other. Out of these eight, bookings are allowed for only five berths,” added Banerjee.

Initially, IRCTC south central zone will resume operation for its first Bharat Darshan train from Secunderabad on December 12. The trip — Dakshin Bharat Yatra — will take passengers from Secunderabad to Warangal, Khammam, Vijayawada, Ongole, Nellore and Renigunta.

The second train — South India Temple Tour — will start from Bhubaneswar on January 2, 2021 and take passengers to Berhampur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam. Later, two more such tourist trains will be run, one from Secunderbad and another from Visakhapatnam. These trains will tour pilgrimages in north India.

As part of Covid-19 safety measures, berths will be sanitised periodically and there will be contactless delivery of meals. “Passengers are advised to bring a negative PCR report for a test conducted not more than 48–72 hours before boarding. Otherwise, they will have to give a declaration in writing at the time of boarding,” Kaushik Banerjee added.


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