COVID-19: Oxygen Express reaches Nashik with life-saving gas

Indian Railways first 'Oxygen Express' train, carrying liquid medical oxygen from Visakhapatnam, reached Nashik on Saturday afternoon.

The train, having seven tankers with 15 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen each, had left from the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) Vizag Steel Plant on Thursday night. It reached Nagpur Station on Friday night and three tankers were unloaded. Rest will be unloaded in Nashik.

Speaking to , Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Central Railway Shivaji M Sutar on Saturday informed that its movement was continuously monitored by various senior officers of the Railways, including Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

He said, "The best possible route was selected and the train's movement was ensured through a green corridor which was continuously monitored by the senior-most officers of the Railways and Railway Minister himself."

Earlier in the day, the second Oxygen Express reached Lucknow from Jharkhand's Bokaro.

As several states witness a shortage of oxygen supply amid the rising coronavirus cases, Indian Railways started running Oxygen Express trains to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country. Roll-on-roll-off trucks are being also being transported on flat wagons by the trains for an immediate supply of oxygen.

"Railways transported essential commodities and kept the supply chain intact even during the lockdown last year and continue to serve the nation in times of emergencies. This time, the movement of 'Oxygen Express' towards different parts of the country will help patients and different hospitals," the railways had earlier said in a statement.

( With inputs from ANI )