Indian Railways has taken up the in-house production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) type overall on a mission mode.
An overall produced by Jagadhari workshop was recently cleared by a DRDO lab, authorised for the purpose. Approved design and material will now be used for making this protective overall by other workshops under different zones. This PPE overall will offer much needed protection to Railway Doctors and paramedics working on the front line of COVID care at hospitals of Railways.
Facilities are being geared up in Railways to make up to 1000 such protective overall for Railway Doctors & Paramedics every day. Around 17 workshops would be striving to contribute to this exercise.
Railways is considering to supply 50% of the innovated PPE garment to other medical professionals of the country.
Material for all the overalls is being procurred centrally at Jagadhari which is located near many big textile industries in Punjab.
In the days to come, the production facilities can be further ramped up. The development of this overall and innovation by Indian Railways is being welcomed by other Government agencies engaged in the war against COVID.
Technical specifications of these PPEs are now ready, and material suppliers are in place. Now the production can start in right earnest. This development is big boost to equip our doctors and paramedics on the front line of this battle against Covid -19.
Indian Railways is aiming to produce three sets per sewing machine per hour for as many days as required in its Production Units & Workshops.
It may be noted this internal effort of Railways is over and above a centralised request projected to Government of India and also indicated to HLL through Indent.
Development of this kind of PPE in a quick time can set a benchmark for others to follow and this will help boost the production of one the most vital protection for those on the front line.