Haryana To Get Its First Oxygen Express As Railways Delivers 510 MT Of Oxygen To UP, Maharashtra, Delhi And MP

Indian Railways has so far delivered more than 510 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

Strengthening the capabilities of the nation in the united fight against Covid, the Ministry of Railways has, amongst its multi-pronged initiatives, deployed nearly 4,000 isolation coaches with almost 64,000 beds.

The railways has also drawn up a de-centralised plan of action empowering zones and divisions to work out their memorandum of understanding for cohesive action. These isolation coaches can be easily moved and positioned at places of demand on the railways network.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government has also requested the railways for ‘oxygen express’.

Currently, tankers are being loaded in Faridabad, which will be sent for filling to Rourkela. As of now, it is planned that two oxygen express with a capacity of five tankers each will be run specifically for Haryana.

Madhya Pradesh has received its first oxygen express carrying more than 64 metric tonnes of LMO. These tankers were unloaded at various locations like one in Jabalpur, two in Bhopal and three in Sagar.

The fourth oxygen express destined for Lucknow will be reaching the city carrying three tankers of LMO soon. Another empty rake is on its way from Lucknow to Bokaro, which will bring another set of oxygen tankers replenishing oxygen supply to Uttar Pradesh.

So far, the railways has delivered 202 metric tonnes to Uttar Pradesh, 174 metric tonnes to Maharashtra, 70 metric tonnes to Delhi and Madhya Pradesh 64 metric tonnes.

The railways has mobilised 22 additional Covid care coaches for use in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra while 191 isolation coaches are in use in different parts of the country.

In response to demand, 191 coaches have been handed over to various states for Covid care with a bed-capacity of 2,990 beds. Isolation coaches are presently utilised in Delhi, Maharashtra (Ajni ICD, Nandrubar), Madhya Pradesh (Tihi near Indore).

The railways has also positioned 50 coaches at major cities of Uttar Pradesh like Faizabad, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Bareli and Nazibabad.

In Delhi, the railways has catered to the full demand of the state for 75 Covid care coaches with a capacity of 1,200 beds. Fifty coaches are positioned at Shakurbasti and 25 coaches at Anand Vihar stations. Five admissions were registered as on date. About 1,196 beds are still available.

At Nandrubar (Maharashtra), 58 patients are currently utilising the facility. Cumulatively, up to now, 85 admissions were registered with subsequent discharge of patients by state health authorities. About 330 beds are still available.

With regard to the demand by Madhya Pradesh for two coaches, the Ratlam Division of Western Railway has deployed 22 coaches with a capacity of 320 beds at Tihi station near Indore. At Bhopal, where 20 coaches are deployed, there were 13 admissions with one discharge as per latest data. About 280 beds are available at this facility.

The utilisation of these facilities in the above-mentioned states, as per latest records, cumulatively registers 103 admissions with 39 subsequent discharges. Presently, 64 Covid patients are utilising the isolation coaches.

In UP, though coaches have not yet been requisitioned by the state government, 10 coaches are placed each at Faizabad, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Bareli and Nazibabad totalling a capacity of 800 beds (50 coaches).