A Ro-Ro service carrying three tankers loaded with liquid medical oxygen (LMO) from Hapa in Gujarat reached Kalamboli in Maharashtra Monday. Meanwhile, an Oxygen Express train carrying four tankers from Raigarh (Chhattisgarh) was expected to reach Delhi early Tuesday morning.

A ‘green corridor’ has been provided for the faster movement of the Oxygen Express. The medical oxygen is being made available for treatment of COVID-19 patients across the country, through Oxygen Express trains run by Ministry of Railways.

The Oxygen Express from Gujarat to Mumbai travelled a distance of 860 km. Its tankers carried about 44 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen. Necessary arrangements had been made at the Kalamboli goods shed for smooth movement of the Oxygen Express. It reached Kalamboli from Hapa via Viramgam, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Vasai Road and Bhiwandi Road, keeping in place all the safety parameters. These oxygen tankers were supplied by Reliance Industries, Jamnagar.

Railways had so far run Oxygen Express between Mumbai to Vizag via Nagpur to Nashik and Lucknow to Bokaro and back and a total of nearly 150 tonnes of liquid oxygen had been carried till Sunday. More such trains are on run and are being planned to various parts of the country.

Since the first train of empty tankers left for Vizag from Mumbai Region just a few days back, Indian Railways has transported more than 302 MT of Oxygen safely and securely to various states across India. Another 154 MT liquid medical oxygen is on its way. Railways has picked up the challenge of movement of the life-saving Oxygen to the states wanting oxygen.

Another Oxygen express is currently on the run from Bokaro (Jharkhand) to Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) carrying 90 MT of LMO in five tankers and is expected to reach Lucknow by early Tuesday morning.

Another empty rake will depart from Lucknow to Bokaro to bring one more set of Oxygen tankers.

Railways is responding to all requests received from state governments and is in constant touch with the respective authorities for additional Oxygen train requirements, an official release said Monday.