Railways receives more requests to operate Oxygen Express

With the demand for medical oxygen increasing due to spike in Covid-19 cases, he Ministry of Railways on Friday said states including Andhra Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi have requested them to operate 'Oxygen Express' for transport liquid medical oxygen.

Delhi will receive oxygen from Rourkela, while Andhra Pradesh to welcome oxygen from Odisha, Railway Board Chairman Suneet Sharma told reporters here.

The request from Delhi came minutes after a meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with chief ministers of states having high Covid-19 caseloads, including the national capital.

In the leaked video of PM review meeting, Delhi CM requested to operate Oxygen Express for which the PM said already such train is under operation.

Kerijiwal came under atack from the BJP saying he came to the meeting without preparation. Sources in the Railway Ministry said though the Railways has anounced operating of Oxygen Express on April 15 itself and asked the states to submit demand, there was no request came feom Delhi Government on transporting oxygen through trains.

Also read: Airlift oxygen, give adequate vaccines, allow Remdesivir imports: Thackeray tells PM

The Delhi Government request came on Thursday afternoon and the Railways informed them that they are ready to operate such trains and ask the state government to arrange tankers.

We have requested the states to arrange maximum number of oxygen tankers to ferry them through railway flat wagons. Each tanker of ''Oxygen Express'' trains can carry around 16 tonnes of medical oxygen. adding these trains travel at a speed of around 65 kmph, he said.

Sharma said the ''Oxygen Express'' train headed for Uttar Pradesh will reach Lucknow on Saturday, and the one for Maharashtra will reach Nashik, from where oxygen will be distrubuted to different cities.

Also, the Railways will not levy any surcharges and will provide five hours free cargo-handling time. Goods and Services Tax will be levied. Two people, including the driver, can get on the trucks (with second-class tickets) carrying the oxygen.

Transportation of oxygen through trains is faster over long distances. Trains can run 24 hours a day but a truck needs to take halts etc, an official said.

To facilitate loading and unloading of tankers, a ramp is required which the Railways has constructed in record time, Sharma said.