MoRTH said all vehicles carrying oxygen, which includes oxygen tankers, Argon, and nitrogen tankers converted to carry liquid medical oxygen, must be equipped with a Vehicle Location Tracking device.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) recently made it mandatory for all vehicles transporting medical grade oxygen to be fitted with a Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) device. The mandate, enabled via AIS 140, will be a critical resource. The ministry noted that in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in India, there is a critical need for seamless oxygen supply to hospitals as well as other healthcare facilities. This is why, MoRTH notes, all vehicles carrying oxygen, which includes oxygen tankers, Argon, and nitrogen tankers converted to carry liquid medical oxygen, will also need to be equipped with the aforementioned Vehicle Location Tracking device according to AIS 140.
In a tweet, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) noted, “MoRTH has made it mandatory for #Oxygen containers/tankers/ vehicles to be fitted with Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) devices. GPS tracking will ensure monitoring and protection of these tankers, besides ensuring there is no diversion or delay.”
The decision comes in view of the country’s continued struggle with the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past few feeks, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country have surged dramatically and India is now recording an average of roughly 4,00,000 new coronavirus cases every day. This has lead to the healthcare system being overwhelmed and hospitals to struggle with a shortage of medical oxygen as well as other necessities such as medicines and beds.
In the face of this situation, by mandating GPS tracking, the government is trying to ensure these tankers are not only properly monitored but also to see to it that there are no delays or diversions during transport.
