In the fight against the second surge of Covid-19, everyone needs to chip in. Doing that is India’s leading auto manufacturer, Mahindra and Mahindra, who launched their initiative Oxygen On Wheels to offer last-mile connectivity of much needed oxygen cylinders to the Coronavirus patients across India.
On May 17, they launched this service in Chennai, the eighth city. The other metros where this is already there are Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Punjab, Delhi and NCR and Hyderabad.
Sharing this news, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra wrote, "We add our 8th city for delivering oxygen cylinders to hospitals and medical centres. We keep adding more locations as we fight the second wave together."
Besides Chennai, last week, Mahindra's Oxygen on Wheels was launched in Hyderabad, becoming the first city in the southern part of the country where the initiative went live. The Group said at that time that it is planning to expand its operations to other cities in the coming days.
Today, Oxygen is the key to reducing mortality. The problem is not of oxygen production but its transportation from producing plants to hospitals & homes. We’re attempting to bridge this gap with “Oxygen on Wheels” a project implemented via Mahindra Logistics (1/5) pic.twitter.com/Cj0CkrfYRo
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 1, 2021
Under the initiative Mahindra and Mahindra has converted hundreds of its Bolero pickup trucks thereby making them a vital part of the delivery chain of oxygen cylinders. This is vital considering the issue of last mile connectivity which hampers the smooth distribution of the gas.
According to Mahindra, the company has so far delivered oxygen cylinders in thousands to hospitals and other medical facilities since the initiative kicked off.
Delhi and the National Capital Region were also brought under this initiative. After the launch, Anand Mahindra had confirmed scaling of operations in Delhi where the crisis of oxygen had been a challenge in the fight against the virus.
Taking to Twitter, he said: "Oxygen on wheels by @Mahindralog_MLL (Mahindra Logistics) goes live in Delhi. We’re rushing SOS oxygen cylinders to hospitals from the Rajghat & Mayapuri oxygen depots. Together we fight the second wave. Thanks to the local administration for the opportunity and their support."
He had also mentioned: "We’re scaling up operations in Delhi in the coming days as well as expanding reach to neighbouring centres. O2W is already operating at Pune, Chakan, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nasik and Nagpur, delivering about 600 O2 cylinders every day with Bolero pickup trucks."
What is Oxygen On Wheels?
Earlier this month, when the Covid-19 was wreaking havoc across the country, the need for timely availability of oxygen had become a huge challenge for homes, hospitals, States and the patients. Then Anand Mahindra, announced the ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ project to be led by Mahindra Logistics.
Rolling it out in Maharashtra, Mahindra Logistics offered more than a hundred Bolero pickup jeeps to turn them into last mile option to deliver oxygen cylinders to those who needed them. The service was immediately put into use in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Chakan, Nasik and Nagpur.
The company had assured that the initiative will be taken to different cities across the country. The automobile company went in for talks with several governments and civic bodies to acquire necessary clearances to be able to do that.
The project came into being in just 48 hours after a conversation between Anand Mahindra, and and Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Chief Minister.
