Public Works Department to add 12,900 oxygen beds soon

As the demand grows, the Public Works Department (PWD) is expediting the work on offering 12,900 extra oxygen beds throughout Tamil Nadu in 4 or 5 days.

It has to date offered 6,650 beds geared up with oxygen assist to many hospitals for COVID-19 sufferers. In Chennai, practically 1,770 beds with oxygen strains are prepared to be used at main hospitals, together with Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

Besides 1,000 extra beds at main Chennai hospitals, related infrastructure is being created at 11 different hospitals in and across the metropolis, together with peripheral hospitals and Government RSRM Lying-in Hospital. Only 25% of the work is pending.

“We are getting fresh requests daily from hospitals across the State to rig up oxygen lines for more beds. On an average, requests for 50-100 beds come in daily,” a PWD official mentioned. For occasion, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital has sought 150 extra oxygen-supplied beds and hospitals in Madurai and Coimbatore have sought 200 and 100 beds every. “We are prioritising the requests… and processing them as soon as possible. Such requests have also come from Salem, Tirunelveli and Kancheepuram,” the official mentioned. Amid the whole lockdown, the PWD finds it troublesome to supply materials for oxygen pipelines. “We have to wait for two or three days after placing orders for copper materials that are in high demand across the country. We are diverting supply from other parts of the State to prevent delay,” the official mentioned.

The PWD has submitted estimates for ₹140 crore spent to date on the venture. Another problem is the rising worth of copper that’s two occasions the charges mounted by the PWD. However, 500 employees have been engaged to full the venture on time. “We are also prepared to check and certify infrastructure being added at other places. For instance, a PWD team has certified the functioning of the oxygen lines added at Chennai Trade Centre,” officers mentioned.