Railways gears up to run Oxygen Express from Mumbai amid COVID-19 crisis

Amid alarming COVID-19 surge, alleged grimming medical supplies and unforeseeable situation nationwide, the Public Relations Department of Central Railway, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai, issued via a press release that the Roll On Roll Off (Ro-Ro) service with 7 empty tankers have departed Kalamboli goods yard for Vishakhapattanam steel plant siding at 20:05 hours on Monday, April 19. 

This is the first Oxygen Express train leaving from the Mumbai region to Vizag with oxygen supplies. Ro-Ro service with 7 empty tankers will move via Vasai Road, Jalgaon, Nagpur, Raipur to Visakhapatnam steel plant where it will be loaded with Liquid Medical Oxygen. 

"Railways have geared up to run Oxygen Express in response to its fight against COVID-19. Team Mumbai Division has built a ramp overnight  within 24 hours at  Kalamboli goods yard to facilitate loading/unloading of tankers in/from flat wagons. The Ro-Ro service with 7 empty tankers departed from Kalamboli goods yard for Visakhapatnam steel plant siding at 8.05pm today," the Central Railways in its press release stated.

The railway authorities acknowledged that they have transported essential commodities and kept the supply chain intact even during lockdown last year and they would continue to serve the nation in such times of emergencies. 

Ministry of Railways initiated 'Oxygen Express'

Given that oxygen is a key element in the treatment of severe COVID-19 stricken patients and amid spiralling COVID-19 cases in the country, demand for medical oxygen in the country has gone through the roof. The Railways will run 'Oxygen Express' over the next few days to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country, the national transporter had previously said.

Indian Railways had accepted the Maharashtra government's request to transport liquid oxygen through trains, empty tankers began their journey on Monday from Kalamboli and Boisar railway stations in and near Mumbai to load liquid medical Oxygen from Vizag, Jamshedpur, Rourkela, and Bokaro, officials said. As trains are getting fully ready to transport Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) and Oxygen Cylinders, railways are geared up to run the 'Oxygen Express'.