Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is an Indian multinational engaged in technology, engineering, construction,  has started working towards a long-term solution to meet the medical-grade oxygen demand in the country.

L&T will soon start delivering 22 oxygen generators to various hospitals in India, where the scarcity is most acute. These units will absorb air from the atmosphere before converting it into medical-grade oxygen and pumping it into pre-existing pipes in the hospitals.

Of these, the parts of the first tranche of nine equipment will reach India by 9th May. These will be progressively delivered from 15th May to hospitals that are in acute need and do not possess required infrastructure to receive bulk oxygen supply.

L&T CEO and MD, S N Subrahmanyan, said, "This is an unprecedented situation, and we are extremely pained by the consequences of the dire shortage of oxygen. Nothing could be more important than human life and L&T is committed to stand by the nation. Our teams in India and abroad have, with single-minded attention in the last few days, been able to procure the oxygen generators and other components to assemble PSA units. Together we shall all overcome the Covid-19 scourge."

L&T is sourcing the components from various parts of the world. Once assembled at L&T's Hazira Manufacturing Complex, each of parts will be compact, stand-alone oxygen-making units. After testing, they will be dispatched to various hospitals where they will immediately start producing medical-grade oxygen as per the requirements. Each unit has a compressor dryer, oxygen generator and two storage tanks that could cater to hospitals or medical facilities with over 1,750 beds.

The units work on the plug-and-play principle. Once all the constituent parts are fabricated, the compressor allows the air to reach a particular pressure within a few minutes. The generator then starts pumping oxygen into pipes.

Each of the units has a capacity range from 1,000 litres per minute (LPM) to 500 LPM. A 1,000 LPM machine could service 100-plus beds simultaneously. The 500 LPM machine can potentially service 50-plus beds at any point of time.

L&T's contribution is to meet the long-term oxygen demand of the hospitals. These permanent units will serve the hospitals for the next 10-15 years.

Shares of the company declined Rs 3.45, or 0.26%, to trade at  Rs 1,334.20.  The total volume of shares traded  was  27,462 at the BSE (11.09 a.m., Wednesday).