MCG ties up with Zomato, Delhivery for doorstep oxygen cylinder deliveries

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) tied up with an app-based food delivery firm, essential supplies delivery chain and an NGO for door-to-door delivery of liquid medical oxygen cylinders to Covid-19 patients in home isolation and also to check black marketing, officials said

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) tied up with an app-based food delivery firm, essential supplies delivery chain and an NGO for door-to-door delivery of liquid medical oxygen cylinders to Covid-19 patients in home isolation and also to check black marketing, officials said.

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A release issued by the civic body stated it tied up with Zomato, Delhivery and Seva Bharti Parishad NGO on Monday, following which the stakeholders held a meeting at the camp office, located next to the MCG commissioner’s residence, in Civil Lines to discuss the modalities.

MCG officials said that the two delivery companies will have the task of delivering cylinders in two of their zones, while in the other two zones, the NGO will help with the deliveries.

“We have tied up with the companies to carry out the deliveries. They will be forming separate teams for this task, independent of their current operations. For delivery purposes, all teams will be using four-wheeler vehicles so that the maximum number of oxygen cylinders can be loaded, and a high number of deliveries can be done in one trip,” said a senior MCG official, who attended the meeting.

The official cited above said that oxygen cylinders are being stored at a government college in Sector 14, from where they will be transported. A team of MCG officials, headed by MCG additional commissioner Surendra Singh, will be working from the college premises to coordinate with the companies for deliveries.

A spokesperson for Delhivery said that the company officials overlooking the matter were not available for comment. Officials of Zomato could not be contacted for comment.

For locations outside the MCG areas in the district, MCG workers will undertake the task. “A separate bank account will be opened for payment under this arrangement. Payments can be made directly to the bank account through a QR code. Each agency and team will have a different QR code,” said Jitendera Yadav, acting commissioner, MCG.

Yadav said that the delivery will be done on a first-come-first-served basis.

Under the initiative, officials will carry oxygen cylinders to the applicant’s residence and provide them with a filled cylinder in exchange for an empty one. “Covid-19 patients in home isolation can apply for a cylinder online on the oxygenhry.in portal. Based on the application, a cylinder will be provided to the applicant in the shortest possible time,” said Yadav.

For procuring a cylinder, the patient, attendant, or relative has to submit an application on the portal along with the patient’s UID number, oximeter reading photo and a doctor’s prescription. In the application, basic details such as the patient’s name, age, contact number and address need to be filled in.

MCG officials said that a person can apply only once per day. Once confirmed, the applicant will receive a message regarding the delivery. MCG officials said that their teams will be carrying out deliveries between 8am and 11pm every day.

The announcement of home delivery of oxygen cylinders was in the district was announced on Saturday, a day after the Haryana government had made a similar announcement.

Besides the MCG, the administration has also tied up with 20 NGOs and the Red Cross Society for the delivery of oxygen cylinders. The administration commenced operations on Monday, with 70 deliveries being done on the first day.

“A cylinder bank has been created by the district administration for refilling cylinders. With the introduction of this facility, the load on beds in the hospitals will be reduced and people will get oxygen cylinders at their doorstep,” said Singh.