
On Sunday, April 19, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that Maharashtra, which is most worst affected by COVID-19 will get the biggest share of 1,500 metric tones of oxygen after mapping done by the Centre and a green corridor is being created for the fast movement of ‘Oxygen Express Trains’ to facilitate the smooth transport of oxygen to state.
Piyush Goyal said that Central government did mapping in a meeting with 12 state governments and union territories which are most affected by COVID-19. He further said, “We are witnessing an unprecedented crisis due to COVID-19 pandemic. In some states, the cases can be seen going beyond control, like Maharashtra, Delhi, and some other states.”
Goyal said Centre is also in close contact with all states to monitor all requirements needed to deal pandemic. He further said, “You would be surprised to know that before the pandemic, the daily consumption of medical oxygen was around 1000-1200 tones. The consumption has increased and on April 15 the daily consumption was 4,795 metric tones.”
Railways is getting fully ready to transport Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) and Oxygen Cylinders across the key Corridors. Availability of oxygen is a key element in the treatment of certain medical conditions in the Covid-19 infection.
On 17 April, a meeting was held between Railway Board officials and with State Transport Commissioners and representatives of industry on the subject of “Issues related to transportation of Liquid Medical Oxygen.”
It was decided that the tankers would be organized by Transport Commissioner, Maharashtra. These empty tankers would be moved from Kalamboli/Boisar, Railway stations in and near Mumbai, and sent to Vizag and Jamshedpur/Rourkela/Bokaro, for loading of liquid medical oxygen tankers from there.
In pursuance of the above decision, instructions have been issued to Zonal Railways to ensure readiness to receive the trailers and load them back. Ramps have to be built at Vizag, Angul and Bhilai and the existing ramp at Kalamboli is to be strengthened. The Kalamboli ramp would be made ready by 19.04.2021. Ramps at other locations would also be ready in a couple of days by the time the tankers reach those locations.
Railways have already placed DBKM wagons at Kalamboli and at other locations in expectation of movement of tankers to various locations. Railways are awaiting advice from Maharashtra to move the tankers.
In the last 24 hours, India reported 2,73,810 new COVID-19 cases and reached the milestone of highest single day surge and 1,44,178 patients got discharge, while 1,619 people died of this deadly virus. Total active cases in India is now around 19.29 lakhs. Total death toll in India reached to 1,78,769.