Oxygen crisis: Anand Mahindra rolls out 'Oxygen on Wheels' initiative

Mahindra Group's logistics division Mahindra Logistics has rolled out 'Oxygen on Wheels' initiative to bridge the gap between oxygen production and its transportation in India, especially in Maharashtra, amidst the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra posted a series of tweets about the initiative. As per one of Mahindra's tweets, "Today, Oxygen is the key to reducing mortality. The problem is not of oxygen production but is transportation from producing plants to hospitals and homes. We're attempting to bridge this gap with 'Oxygen on Wheels' a project implemented via Mahindra Logistics."

Under the initiative, Mahindra will utilise trucks to connect oxygen producers with hospitals and/or homes. In order to help more and more people, an operations control centre has also been established and a direct-to-consumer model is being conceived.

The private sector has stepped up its efforts to address the shortage of medical oxygen in the country amidst the surge in COVID-19 cases. Earlier today, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) said it has become India's largest producer of medical-grade liquid oxygen from a single location.

RIL now produces more than 11 per cent of India's total production of medical-grade liquid oxygen at its Jamnagar facility in Gujarat and other plants. With this, the conglomerate is meeting the needs of nearly every 1 in 10 patients in India.

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