Three more oxygen tankers on train to reach Maharashtra

Railway officials said they would be monitoring safety parameters such as height of the tankers from the rail level and pressure from time to time

A train carrying three tankers loaded with liquid medical oxygen on flat wagons left from Hapa in Gujarat for Maharashtra on Sunday at 6.03pm. The consignment of the lifesaving gas was expected to reach Kalamboli on Monday morning.

These oxygen tankers were supplied by the Reliance Industries, Jamnagar. The Oxygen Express was to cover 860 km during its journey.

Authorities said arrangements were put in place at Hapa Goods Shed in a short time for the smooth movement of the Oxygen Express. It was to pass Viramgam, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Vasai Road keeping in place all the safety parameters such as height of the tankers from the rail level. Officials said they would also monitor pressure from time to time.

The Indian Railways is going to deliver more than 140 MT liquid oxygen in the next 24 hours. So far, the Oxygen Express has run between Mumbai and Vizag via Nagpur to Nashik and Lucknow to Bokaro and back. It has carried 10 containers with 150 tonnes of liquid oxygen.

Sumit Thakur, WR chief PRO, said, "The three tankers have 14,850, 14,890 and 14,320 that is 44,060 kg of liquid medical oxygen. Looking at the gravity of the situation and necessity of oxygen, a through path has been provided for the faster movement of the Oxygen Express." Being a cryogenic cargo, which maintains a very low temperature, there are limitations on the top speed of the train, acceleration and deceleration and other logistical requirements like availability of loading ramps, said Thakur.