Loco pilot Praveen Kumar Barmaiya gets Oxygen Express from Vasai to Mumbai in 79 minutes

Praveen Barmaiya, loco pilot

Loco pilot Praveen Kumar Barmaiya says he is proud to be part of the government's efforts in bringing in Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) from other states to meet the growing need for it in Maharashtra.

What makes him a significant part of this endeavour is that he drove the Oxygen Express from Vasai Road to Kalamboli in the Mumbai jurisdication, approximately a distance of 65 km, in 79 minutes at a sustained speed of 65 kmph. He said given the twists and the turns of the section, a regular train would have taken nearly two hours to cover the same distance. Barmaiya was accompanied by guard Vivek Dighe and assistant loco pilot Mangesh Masne.

Speaking to mid-day, Barmaiya said, "The train arrived at Vasai Road at 10:03 am and we started from there around 10:06 am. Given the sensitive cargo and over-dimensional specifications, we were given a speed limit of 65 kmph for safety reasons. We arrived in an hour and 19 minutes, which otherwise would have taken nearly two hours. The train was then placed at the given slot in the yard."

"I had to keep in mind all the safety parameters such as the height of the tankers and also had to monitor the pressure from time to time. Looking at the gravity of the situation and the requirement of oxygen, a seamless path has been provided for faster movement of the train. I am proud to be a small part of this first consignment for Mumbai," he added.