Oxygen Express

Oxygen Express was a series of long- and short-haul train services jointly operated by the Ministry of Railways and Indian Railways to overcome a severe shortage of medical-grade oxygen by supplying to various hospitals in different parts of India and Bangladesh during the second-wave of COVID-19 [pandemic in India].

Background

Oxygen Express trains were operated in two formats: by using cryogenic ISO tanks which can carry 16 metric-tonnes of liquid medical oxygen each; using fixed tankers on semis such as Tata Motors 1618s, which are then further loaded on to the trains at the roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities of the Indian Railways and Indian Army.
At the peak of pandemic, the trains ran on signal-free "Green Corridor" routes, transporting oxygen from various steel plants to various parts of the country.
In July 2021, 200 metric-tonnes of liquid medical oxygen were transported to the Benapole Border Crossing in Bangladesh, from the Tatanagar Junction railway station.