Covid-19: Oxygen Express train reaches UP's Lucknow from Jharkhand's Bokaro

In a big respite to cope up with the oxygen shortage in Uttar Pradesh, Indian Railway's 'Oxygen Express', carrying oxygen tankers, reached Lucknow from Jharkhand's Bokaro on Monday morning.

Uttar Pradesh is currently witnessing a surge in cases. As per the union health ministry, currently, there are 2,97,616 active cases in the state.

The Indian Railways is running 'Oxygen Express' trains and will continue to run them over the next few days to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country. Roll-on-roll-off trucks are being transported on flat wagons by the trains for a quick supply of medical oxygen.

The first Oxygen Express train, that left Visakhapatnam on Thursday, arrived in Maharashtra's Nagpur Friday evening with seven tankers carrying the life-saving medical gas.

The central government has also restricted the use of liquid oxygen for non-medical purposes with immediate effect with the ministry of home affairs announcing that the use of liquid oxygen will be allowed for medical purposes only.