New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): In a major boost to Delhi's fight against Covid-19, the Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) hospital at Hari Nagar has acquired a captive Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) Oxygen plant ensuring a dedicated oxygen supply for up to 115 beds.

With a capacity of 35 NM3 per hour (equivalent to 5 jumbo cylinders per hour), the plant will contribute to uninterrupted oxygen supply at DDU hospital, which is one of Delhi's crucial Covid care centres.

The plant has been installed by leading PSA Oxygen generator manufacturer MVS Engineering at record speed to help address the oxygen crisis in the capital.

The need for captive oxygen generator plants at hospitals has been felt like never before at a time when hospitals across Delhi are reeling under the shortage of external oxygen supply.

MVS Engineering has since last year installed PSA Oxygen plants in 40 hospitals across the country, including 4 in the National Capital Region (NCR) in the last two weeks.

"Given the everyday crisis being experienced by hospitals across the capital, we worked at record speed to complete the manufacturing and installation of the PSA Oxygen plant at DDU. We started the building of the machine two weeks ago and had to work very closely with our supply chain partners to expedite the process," said Siddharth Rastogi, Executive Director at MVS Engineering Pvt Ltd.

"Normally, it takes between 3-4 weeks to complete the manufacturing for a plant. However, given the crisis situation in Delhi, we ensured this plant was built and installed in record time."

The installation of the plant at DDU was facilitated with the joint efforts of the Bansuri Charitable Society and the Delhi Government's Dialogue and Development Commission.

The plant has been manufactured and installed at an investment of Rs 91.84 lakh, mobilised by the Bansuri Charitable Society with support of a group of donor organizations including Democracy People Foundation, Martin and Harris Laboratories Ltd, Advance Valves Pvt Ltd, Members of the Rotary Club Delhi Premier, Fancy Fashions Pvt Ltd and DCM Shriram Industries Ltd.

"This collaboration to set up an oxygen plant is a great example of Public Private Partnership. Remarkably, the plant was set up from concept to execution in 15 days. We thank the Delhi Government, MVS engineering and Mr. Roshan Shankar for successful execution of this critical project," said Alok Shriram, CEO and Senior MD of DCM Shriram Industries Ltd.

Rahul Agarwal, Trustee at Democracy People Foundation said: "We at mission oxygen are very happy to be associated with this project that will ensure unhindered oxygen supply at a key Delhi hospital in these difficult times".

Nishant Berlia, Board Member, Apeejay Stya Group, also associated with the project said: "At a time when this devastating pandemic is claiming many lives, we are happy that our project will help save many lives. Every life is precious".