Maha: Oxygen tankers fitted with GPS to track movement

Maha: Oxygen tankers fitted with GPS to track movement
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Mumbai: All tankers carrying liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in the state are being fitted with GPS devices in order to track their movement and ensure better management of supply of the life-saving gas to COVID-19 patients, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Speaking to PTI, state transport commissioner Avinash Dhakane said currently, 250 tankers are being used for the supply of LMO, demand for which has surged with the rise in COVID-19 cases.

"Nearly 50 per cent of the 250 tankers are already fitted with GPS, while the remaining will be fitted with it within a few days. Once all the tankers fitted with these device, their movement can be tracked from the control room," Dhakane said.

A control room has been set up for monitoring the movement of tankers supplying oxygen across the state and officials from the Road Transport Offices have been deputed to get the GPS devices fitted, he said, adding that LMO is being supplied from 19 different plants through tankers.

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) has funded the work of installing GPS on oxygen tankers, the official said.

Meanwhile, the FADA in a release stated that its state president Amar Jatin Sheth had recently met the transport commissioner to understand how the association can contribute in the fight against COVID-19 and on his recommendation, FADA Maharashtra decided to fix the 250 oxygen tankers with GPS devices.