ECoR produces masks and sanitizers from its workshops and sheds to assist in fight against Covid-19

Bhubaneswar, April 3: In an all out fight against Covid-19 outbreak, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has taken up the challenge on various fronts. At one front ECoR is ensuring supply of essential commodities like coal for the power houses, food grains for the public distribution system, petrol, diesel and other petroleum products for the transportation sector then at other front it is converting its coaches to serve as quarantine/isolation facilities. Now ECoR has come up with a novel idea. Assessing the increased requirement of masks and sanitizers during this outbreak of Covid-19 , ECoR has decided to use its workshops, sheds and depots to produce masks and sanitizers, alongside the other works, to assist in fight against COVID-19. All three divisions of East Coast Railway i.e. Khurda Road, Waltair and Sambalpur are utilising their resources to produce masks and sanitizers. Till now Khurda Road division has produced 700 masks at Coaching depots Bhubaneswar and Puri. Electric Loco Shed at Angul has produced 50 litres of alcohol based sanitizer. 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. Also 10 litres of sanitizer has been prepared at coaching depo 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. The sanitizer is being prepared as per the standard formula of WHO. It consists of Iso propyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerine and distilled water. These masks and sanitizers are being supplied to railway staff who has to attend duties. ECoR is taking all the measures to assist the nation in its fight against Covid-19 using all its resources.