Oldest Asian Railway Turns Coaches Into India Isolation Wards

Indian Railways, the world’s fourth-biggest network, is converting at least 5,000 coaches into isolation wards amid fears the world’s most populous country after China may not have adequate infrastructure to deal with the pandemic.

Mosquito nets and charging points for mobile phones and laptops have been fitted, and space has been created for paramedics, Indian Railways said in a statement. The network, which also operates 125 hospitals across the nation as part of its British legacy, is considering hiring more doctors or re-employing retired medical staff.