Delhi International Airport has storage capacity of 27 lakh vaccines, confirms CEO

Speaking to ANI about the Covid-19 vaccine storage capacity at Delhi Airport, CEO Videh Jaipuriar said, “We have a storage capacity of 27 lakh vaccines at any given point for Delhi Airport. So, we can distribute 54 lakhs vials, if we are able to complete two rotations in a day.”

There is a storage capacity of 27 lakh Covid-19 vaccines at any point at the Delhi Airport, said Videh Jaipuriar, CEO, Delhi International Airport Ltd on Tuesday adding that both cargo terminals of Delhi Airport are equipped with cool chambers to handle the vaccines.

Ground staff exit a temperature-controlled storage room at a cargo terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, which according to the officials will be used as a Covid-19 vaccine handling and distribution centre. (Reuters Photo)

Speaking to ANI about the Covid-19 vaccine storage capacity at Delhi Airport, Jaipuriar said, “We have a storage capacity of 27 lakh vaccines at any given point for Delhi Airport. So, we can distribute 54 lakhs vials, if we are able to complete two rotations in a day.”

Elaborating on Project Sanjivani, related to handling and redistribution of Covid-19 vaccines, he said, “Both cargo terminals of Delhi Airport are equipped with cool chambers to handle the vaccines. We have made special arrangements for redistribution.”

There is a truck management system for booking slots so that waiting time for trucks carrying Covid-19 vaccines is minimised, Jaipuriar said.

“We are looking at different containers to augment cool chain capacity,” he added.

“No specific date has been given for vaccine re-distribution. If you look at whatever is the govt line-- sometime in January 2021, the Covid-19 vaccine should be available for redistribution,” Delhi International Airport Ltd CEO said.

“But, if the capacity needs to be increased, then we can increase the number of containers at a short notice of two to three days,” he added.

There are currently nine Covid-19 vaccine candidates in different phases of clinical trials in India -- six are under clinical trials and three in the pre-clinical phase.