Trains carried 1,700MT of oxygen from Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat has in the last fortnight dispatched 1,700 metric tonnes (MT) of medical oxygen to various parts of the country on 18 trains, from the Ahmedabad and Rajkot divisions. Four were sent from Ahmedabad and 14 from Rajkot division.
Railway officials said that the four trains from Ahmedabad had left for Haryana. One train had gone to Fort Tuglaqabad. Of the four trains from Ahmedabad, two left with eight containers carrying 133MT of medical oxygen while two trains had left with tankers and carried 160MT.
The officials said of the 14 trains from Rajkot, some had carried oxygen from Mundra. Railway officials said this was a different experience for the loco pilots. “Usually good trains are given last priority and have to stop at every crossing for passengers trains, but these oxygen trains had got top priority, running before trains of Rajdhani status.”
A loco pilot, Sharvesh Sharma, in a note said that in his 21 years of service covering 372km in 6.45 hours was the best speed he could every get for a double-stack container train. Officials said in the coming days they are ready to take up the challenge of supplying oxygen even if it means running such trains at more regular intervals.
Officials said while passengers trains have been halted, good trains are still serving the people. Between April 1 and May 10 last year, 5.22 million tonnes of goods were transported. This has increased to eight million tonnes this year.
Of the 98 trains run during this period, 23 carried 4,600 tonnes of Covid-19 materials and medicines, while 20 were milk specials trains and 14,000 tonnes of milk was sent from the state. Also 38 Kisan Rail trains were run during this period.