Workshops and production units of Southern Railways (SR) are now manufacturing essential medical items - hand sanitisers and masks - in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and for their in-house use. These two items are unavailable in the market.

The SR has taken the lead among the Railways’ zones in manufacturing hand sanitisers and masks following a recent direction from the Railway Board to use the production units and workshops for such needs.

Perambur Loco Works is making hand sanitisers for use in railway offices and railway hospitals. The average cost of making is Rs 570 per litre, which is cheaper than those sold in the market.

Perambur Carriage works has made 250 masks with 100 distributed to SR Chennai division to be distributed to running staff working in goods trains and 150 masks to Railway hospital, Perambur. The mask made of white cotton cloth is of a single layer with elastic ear band and can be reused after a wash. It has also produced 45 aprons and handed over it to the Railway hospital at Perambur. They are in the process of making 50 numbers of cots in the next ten days using the available material in the workshop.

The Electric Loco shed in Erode has produced 200 litres of hand sanitisers. The Electric Loco shed at Arakkonam, Diesel loco shed at Ernakulam and the medical branch of Trivandrum division are also making hand sanitisers for their internal usage.

Coaching Depot in Basin bridge will 50 masks on a daily basis utilising the available material and allowing their lady staff to work from home, the release said.

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