Punjab’s first ‘Oxygen Express’ from Jharkhand’s Bokaro reached Phillaur on Monday evening with two tankers carrying 41.07 MT of liquid medical oxygen (LMO).
Despite several limitations owing to the train’s speed, handling the LMO cargo, among other things, the train reached Punjab “without any stop” through a specially-carved out ‘green corridor’.
“On Punjab Government’s request, the railways run the state’s first oxygen express. It started at around 7 pm from Bokaro on Sunday and after covering about 1400 kms, it reached Phillaur. The average speed comes out to be 65 kms which is more than any road transport,” said a Railways official.
The arrival of oxygen express would give a breath of fresh air to the state in these testing times of pandemic as the regular Oxygen supply through air route from different parts of the country is also being arranged for Punjab.
“The oxygen supply started from April 27 through air route and we have managed to get a total of 804.26 metric tonnes Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) till date by operating 30 flights with assistance of IAF (Indian Air Force),” said a member of the State COVID Control Room (O2).
WHO PROVIDES 100 OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS TO PUNJAB
The World Health Organisation on Monday provided 100 oxygen concentrators to the Punjab Government. An official spokesperson of the Health Department said that WHO assured that they will continue to work closely with Punjab Government and its district officials, health care and frontline workers and volunteers for rapid scale-up of active case detection of COVID-19 cases.
