Hyderabad,  L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd (L&TMRHL) has become India's first metro rail to introduce ozone-based sanitisation of its train coaches.

Kickstarting the process, it has inducted three portable Ozycare Mobizone units to sanitise the coaches in line with building confidence among passengers for safe travel during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Sanitisation of air and surface by ozone has been widely used in hospitals, healthcare, food processing facilities, and for disinfection of water, among others as per the appropriate guidelines.

Hyderabad Metro Rail has conducted rigorous testing of Ozycare Mobizone equipment on various metro coaches for the past few months, which was followed by testing of the efficacy of the sanitisation by a NABL accredited lab.

The units can neutralise more than 99 per cent of pathogens from the air and surface of the coaches. Based on its effectiveness, Hyderabad Metro Rail is now using Ozycare Mobizone equipment to sanitise the metro coaches providing a safer traveling experience to passengers.

"These units are robust enough to neutralise more than 99 per cent of pathogens both from the surface and air within the train coaches. This is a strategic decision, which we have taken as part of our confidence-building exercise to make the travellers' journey safer," said K.V.B. Reddy, MD & CEO, L&TMRHL.

"Especially when we are back on the full-service mode, we hope this move would infuse a sense of confidence among the passengers making them choose the metro as their preferred mode of city commute during the ongoing pandemic."

Hyderabad Metro Rail has three coaches on every train. As per the process, the individual machines are kept and operated in each coach for sanitisation. Ozycare Mobizone Machines are handled in a controlled environment to sanitise the train coaches.

As per the sanitisation protocol of this machine, the ozone cycle lasts for less than 10 minutes followed by an ozone destruction cycle that ensures post sanitisation safety as per OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) norms. During this period, this machine sanitises the entire coach neutralising more than 99 per cent of pathogens from its ambient air and surface.

Being a strong oxidising agent, ozone (O3) is a great air and surface disinfectant and one of the most effective sterilisation tools. It can kill more than 99 per cent of 650 different kinds of pathogenic organisms and it is very safe and efficient. It destroys germs, viruses, bacteria, and microbes that may cause surface or air contaminations. Since the distribution happens in gaseous form, it penetrates the gaps and hidden crevices that are hard to sanitise. After its usage, no rinse is required as it does not leave any residual on the surface.