New Delhi: The Delhi Transport Corporation on Friday approved the procurement of 15 tankers for transportation of medical oxygen amid rising COVID-19 cases and Omicron threat.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) board chaired by Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had after a high level review meeting on Thursday said that his government would procure 15 tankers that would be available in the next three months.
The 15 oxygen tankers will have a capacity of 10, 15 and 20 tonnes. The total capacity of all the tankers will be 225 MT, said a statement by the Delhi government.
Five tankers each will have 10, 15 and 20 tonnes capacity. Manpower for the operation of these tankers will be recruited by DTC and each tanker will be manned by a driver and a helper in shifts of eight hours each, it said.
During the second wave of COVID-19, the AAP-led Delhi government had decided
that a dedicated fleet of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) tankers would be procured, and DTC was given the responsibility to procure them for the health department.
The oxygen supply chain management had undergone severe pressure due to an
exponential rise in demand for LMO during the second wave, Gahlot said.
"In order to avoid a situation in case an unfortunate third wave occurs, we have prepared an exhaustive management plan for ensuring that no Delhiite suffers from lack of oxygen," he said.
During the second wave, a DTC control room was converted into an oxygen war room, and buses were used to carry oxygen cylinders to hospitals and Covid care centres.