Oxygen Transportation Under Way Despite Massive Challenges, Says Railways

Continuing with the transportation of medical liquid oxygen on rails, a challenging task amid a large number of restrictions, Indian Railways has delivered a cumulative 1,094 MT of MLO since the operation of the first loaded Oxygen Express.

Fraught with safety risks, oxygen transportation is a tough task as it is not like coal or iron ore, the public transporter's usual loadings.

Highlighting the risk factor involved in the operation, a senior railway official said, "Everything has to be done as per rules and there is no margin of error. The staff accompanying, the station staff routing the movement and the control room have to have perfect coordination. A wrong route set could mean the consignment crashing against the platform or the covering."

While Delhi has received its second Oxygen Express with 120 MT MLO,
Telangana received its first Oxygen Express with 63.6 MT MLO.

"There are a large number of restrictions including specific nominated lines in yards through which the consignments carried have to be followed," the official involved with the oxygen operation said.

A large number of speed restrictions have to be observed under wire. Any failure here could lead to an electromagnetic flash which could be disastrous. For added safety, the tyres are deflated during haulage. Accurate measurements need to be taken before each movement to decide on routing and restrictions.

Also on the way, pressure in tanks has to be checked and adequately vented. This has to be done in isolated places with minimum human presence. It is highly inflammable that is why only empty tanks are being carried by air and loaded by the Railways.

Bringing relief to people, 19 Oxygen Expresses have already completed their journeys, and two more are on their way to Haryana and Delhi.

It is our endeavour to deliver as much LMO as possible in the shortest time possible to the requesting states, said the official.

Telangana received its first Oxygen Express from Angul carrying 63.6 MT LMO.

So far, Indian Railways has delivered more than 1,094 metric tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) to Maharashtra (174 MT), Uttar Pradesh (430.51 MT), Madhya Pradesh (156.96 MT), Delhi (190 MT), Haryana (79 MT) and Telangana (63.6 MT).