In a bid to unload huge oxygen containers and cylinders arriving from outside Maharashtra through the rail route, the Khadki railway station is gearing up for a possible large-scale unloading in the near future.
The oxygen required for Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and surrounding areas will be unloaded at the Khadki railway station.
The Maharashtra government is desperately attempting to transport oxygen from another state to Maharashtra, as the demand for the critical gas has gone up due to the rising Covid-19 cases.
The Pune railway division has geared up their preparations at the Khadki railway station which lies on the old Pune-Mumbai highway. As per the requirement and schedule done by the state government, oxygen containers will be unloaded at this station.
“On the military side of the Khadki station, the military tanks and heavy materials are loaded and unloaded from this station. The surface of this station’s platform is well built and wide, also the entry and exit gates are good to manage the movement of oxygen tankers. As all required things are in place at this station, it has been selected for the oxygen containers’ unloading and further movement. The ramp at the station can carry weight up to 40 tonnes which is required for these huge containers carrying oxygen,” said Renu Sharma, divisional railway manager (DRM) of Pune railway division.
“As of now we are only doing the preparations as been told to us by the railway board and state government. We do not know when exactly the movement of which oxygen container carrying trains will be done from this station. Apart from that another small station - Gur Market railway station between Kolhapur and Miraj is also being prepared for possible oxygen containers movement.” added Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}“As of now we are only doing the preparations as been told to us by the railway board and state government. We do not know when exactly the movement of which oxygen container carrying trains will be done from this station. Apart from that another small station - Gur Market railway station between Kolhapur and Miraj is also being prepared for possible oxygen containers movement.” added Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}Daily thousands of patients requiring oxygen supply are admitted to several hospitals in Pune district. While shortage of oxygen supply has become a major issue for patients and hospitals, the state is hoping that these oxygen containers brought in from out of state will fulfil the requirement for Pune.