East Coast Railway carries 329 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen through RoRo Service

To supply oxygen at the earliest during the current COVID upsurge for saving the life of patients, East Coast Railway has carried 329 tons of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) from different Steel Plants in its jurisdiction towards different states like Maharashtra, Telengana, Haryana and Delhi.

In a release, East Coast Railways on Tuesday said that a total of 187 tonnes of LMO has already been transported from Tata Bhusan Siding in Angul along with 105 tonnes of LMO from Rashtriya ISpat Nigam Limited in Visakhapatnam and 31 tonnes of LMO from Jindal Steel in Angul.

Different Hospitals in various states are in need of oxygen on a priority basis. Getting requests from different state governments, the Indian Railway has prepared itself for providing oxygen transportation services to all the states in need.

"Green corridor" has been provided for the faster movement of the Oxygen Express. Indian Railway is ensuring that the medical oxygen is made available to Covid-19 patients across the country through Oxygen Express, thus bringing respite to the needy.

Notably, the first Oxygen Express loaded with 105 tonnes of LMO was left from Visakhapatnam in seven tankers, while the second Oxygen Express from ECoR was loaded with 32 tonnes of LMO in two tankers from Tata Bhushan Steel Plant for, Haryana.

The third Oxygen Express from Tata Bhushan Steel Plant at Angul loaded with 63.6 tonnes of LMO in five tankers and left for Telangana by RoRo service of Indian Railways.

"30.6 Tonne of LMO in Two Tankers from Tata Bhushan Steel Plant, 30.86 Tonne in two Tankers from Jindal Steel Plant and again 60.23 Tonne of LMO in four Tankers from Tata Bhushan Steel Plants were sent to Faridabad, Delhi Cantt and SNAG respectively through RoRo service," East Coast Railways said.

It said that more empty Liquid Medical Oxygen tankers from different states are on the way to carry LMO from ECoR jurisdiction.

"East Coast Railway has taken all precautions for the safe running of Oxygen Express Special Trains from its jurisdiction and sending these trains at the earliest. Liquid Oxygen being a cryogenic cargo utmost care have been taken about the maximum speed at which it can be carried, maximum acceleration and deceleration," the release said.

East Coast Railway General Manager Vidya Bhushan earlier instructed officials to take it as a challenge to supply Oxygen at the earliest during the crisis for life-saving of patients. He had stressed upon proper lashing and packing of the tankers on the rake.

( With inputs from ANI )