The Ro Ro service with 3 Oxygen Tankers moved from Hapa to Kalamboli carried about 44 Tonnes of LMO

First Oxygen Express run by Western Railway, will traverse a distance of 860 kms

Availability of oxygen is a key element in the treatment of certain medical conditions in the Covid infection. On a mission mode, Indian Railways is going to deliver more than 140 MT liquid oxygen in next 24 hrs. So far, Oxygen Express have run between Mumbai to Vizag via Nagpur to Nashik and Lucknow to Bokaro and back. A total of 10 containers having nearly 150 tonnes of liquid Oxygen have been carried so far.

According to a press release issued by Sumit Thakur – Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, a Ro-Ro service carrying three tankers loaded with Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) on BWT wagons left from Hapa in Gujarat on 25th April, 2021 at 18.03 hrs and will reach Kalamboli in Maharashtra in the morning of 26th April, 2021. These oxygen tankers were supplied by M/s Reliance Industries, Jamnagar. The Oxygen Express will traverse a distance of 860 Kms to reach its destination. These tankers are carrying approx. 44 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen.

Necessary arrangements were made at Hapa Goods Shed in a short time for smooth movement of the Oxygen Express. It will run via Viramgam, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Vasai Road keeping in place all the safety parameters such as height of the tankers from the rail level, monitoring of pressure from time to time. Looking at the gravity of the situation and necessity of oxygen, through path has been provided for the faster movement of the Oxygen Express. With Oxygen Express, Railways is ensuring that the medical oxygen is made available to Covid-19 patients across the country, thus bringing respite to the needy.

Liquid Oxygen being a cryogenic cargo has many limitations like maximum speed at which it can be carried, maximum acceleration & deceleration and loading restrictions like availability of liquid oxygen tankers and loading ramps. Route mapping also takes care of the maximum clearances available along the route (because of various RUBs and FOBs).