At least 100 Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft have flown around 139 oxygen tankers to the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi since April 24, so they could be refilled and sent to the various States in need of liquid medical oxygen for treating Covid-induced hypoxia in patients, airport officials said on Tuesday.
“These tankers were sent to Jharkhand for refilling, so they could be sent to various states via road or railways,” Director of Birsa Munda Airport Vinod Sharma said, adding the Ranchi airport was committed in providing all possible assistance in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in India.
Transporting empty containers by air saved time and ensured that needy patients in different States got the medical oxygen they needed on time, said sources working in the airport.
The Cryogenic oxygen containers brought to the Ranchi airport by air had capacity ranging from 10 metric tonne to 20 metric tonne, they added.
The Indian Air Force aircraft such as C 17, C 130J, AN 32, IL 76 among other small aircraft have been helping with the timely supply of medical oxygen and other essential materials during the ongoing Covid crisis, airport officials said. The Ranchi airport has ensured landing facility for aircraft carrying medical equipment, oxygen and other essentials on priority basis, said officials, adding that air ambulances too are given priority.
The steel majors in Jharkhand — Tata Steel and Bokaro Steel Plant — have been supplying several metric tonnes of liquor oxygen to Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and even some States in the southern part of the country. More than 8,000 metric tonne of oxygen has been supplied by the two companies to different states so far, representatives of the two companies said.
While the largest airport in Jharkhand has been contributing to India’s fight against the pandemic, passenger flights to and from the State capital have remained affected due to rapidly falling passenger traffic. At least nine flights to Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Ahmedabad were cancelled on Monday due to lack of passengers, airport authorities said.
As per data shared by the airport, as many as 543 passengers travelled to other cities from Ranchi on Monday, while 1,204 passengers landed in Ranchi.
The airport authorities have also put their plans of starting new flights to tier 2 cities on hold owing to the Covid-19 situation in the country.