'Oxygen Express' bring relief to Covid-hit states

Cryogenic tankers carrying liquid oxygen are seen onboard an Oxygen Express Train after reaching a railway station, amidst the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, in New Delhi. Credit: Reuters Photo

As states scramble to acquire medical oxygen to treat Covid-19 patients, Indian Railways has played a key role in transporting liquid medical oxygen across the country.

Oxygen tankers- carrying trains are crisscrossing the country for the past four weeks to deliver the life-saving gas to hospitals to treat the patients.

Starting from April 19, Indian Railways operated 121 Oxygen Express trains and transported 4,709 tonnes of medical oxygen. Mostly, the oxygen was transported from Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand to other parts of the country.

More than 295 tanker load of oxygen was delivered to states such as Maharashtra, MP, Haryana, Telangana Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Railway Board chairman Suneet Sharma said here on Monday.

Also read: First 'Oxygen Express' train to arrive in Bengaluru on May 11

On Sunday, Oxygen Expresses delivered a record 831 tonne.

For quick movement of the Oxygen Express trains, the railways created a green corridor.

Sharma also said 1952 railway employees died due to Covid-19 so far.

The railways are operating its system efficiently despite several of its employees succumbed to Covid-19, he said.