ECoR produces masks & sanitizers to assist Govt in fight against COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has taken up the challenge on various fronts in an all-out fight against COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. On the one side, it is ensuring supply of essential commodities like coal for the powerhouses, food grains for the public distribution system, petrol, diesel and other petroleum products for the transportation sector and at the other front it is converting its coaches to serve as quarantine/isolation facilities.

Now the ECoR has come up with a novel idea. Assessing the increased requirement of masks and sanitizers during this outbreak of coronavirus, ECoR has decided to use its workshops, sheds and depots to produce masks and sanitizers, alongside the other works, to assist the Union government in fight against COVID-19.

All three divisions of East Coast Railway namely Khurda Road, Waltair and Sambalpur are utilising their resources to produce masks and sanitizers.

Till date, Khurda Road division has produced 700 masks at Coaching depots Bhubaneswar and Puri while the Electric Loco Shed at Angul has produced 50 litres of alcohol-based sanitizer.

Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown: ECoR To Run Parcel Trains For Transporting Essential Commodities

Likewise, the Waltair division has manufactured 20,000 masks utilising its own resources. Also, 300 litres of sanitizer has been prepared at Diesel Loco shed, Vishakhapatnam.

In Sambalpur division, 2414 masks have been prepared with the joint efforts of Engineering, Commercial and Mechanical departments. Besides, 10 litres of sanitizer has been prepared at coaching depo in Sambalpur.

Mancheswar Workshop has produced 1200 masks and 70 litres of alcohol-based sanitizer. It is to mention here that the cost of in house production of alcohol-based sanitizer is almost one-tenth of the market price.

According to the ECoR, the sanitizer is being prepared as per the standard formula of WHO. It consists of Isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerine and distilled water. These masks and sanitizers are being supplied to railway staff who have to attend duties.