Tankers carrying liquid medical oxygen exempted from paying toll charges

New Delhi: In order to provide uninterrupted passage for tankers and containers carrying Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) across the National Highways, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways today exempted the user fee for such vehicles at toll plazas.

Keeping in view the current unprecedented demand of the Medical Oxygen across the country due to COVID-19 pandemic, containers carrying Liquid Medical Oxygen will be treated at par with other emergency vehicles such as ambulances for a period of two months or till further orders, the Ministry said in a statement.

Although the toll plazas have nearly zero waiting time after implementation of FASTag, the National Highways Authority of India is already providing priority passage to such vehicles for quick and seamless transportation of medical oxygen. Instructions have also been issued by NHAI to all its officials and other stakeholders to assist the government and private efforts to fight the pandemic in helping them in pro-active manner.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created huge demand of Liquid Medical Oxygen across the country. During the ongoing crisis, the timely delivery of Liquid Medical Oxygen to hospitals and medical centers is of paramount importance to save lives of patients critically affected by COVID-19.

Exemption of payment of user fee at the Toll Plazas will ensure faster movement of Medical Oxygen on the National Highways, the statement read.