HYDERABAD: When the State was gasping for oxygen with the rise in Covid-19 cases, the South Central Railway (SCR) came to its rescue and embarked upon the task of bringing Oxygen Express services. Commencing its journey of supply of liquid medical oxygen to the State on May 1, SCR has so far brought 774.37 metric tonnes (MT) through nine Oxygen Express services and more are in pipeline till the requirement is over.
The first oxygen special express reached Hyderabad on May 1 with 5 loaded tankers from Angul in Odisha. Running on the high-priority green corridor, with the highest sense of urgency, operational teams of various zones ensure that the oxygen reaches in the fastest possible time frame. Technical stoppages have been reduced to one minute for crew changes over different sections.
“State government pays transportation charges to railways and provides tankers and containers for bringing oxygen. All the Oxygen Express trains so far reached Sanathnagar railway station and unloading is done with coordination of the State. As the State government is the end-user, they take the oxygen for sending it to government and private hospitals,” said a senior official.