Tripura continues to suffer from acute petrol, diesel and LPG shortage as work on restoring the damaged section of the Assam-Agartala national highway is far from complete. Officials have warned of possible shortage of essential commodities if the problem persists for another week.
The State government has enforced a rationing system for petroleum products but the measure has failed to ease the situation given the massive demand. “Some petrol tankers are making gradual approach through an alternative muddy road, but it has been time consuming.” an official of the Foods and Civil Supplies Department told The Hindu on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has proposed that petroleum products be routed through Bangladesh to Tripura. However, this is likely to take time given the need for clearances from both New Delhi and Dhaka, sources said.
The Assam government meanwhile has engaged the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDC) to repair the abysmal condition of a three km stretch of National Highway 44.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has issued instructions to that no efforts should be spared to restore the road links at the earliest.
Sonowal steps in
Last week Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, during his visit to Silchar in lower Assam, took stock of the situation. Mr. Sonowal, from whom the Tripura unit of the BJP sought personal intervention, issued directives to facilitate the plying of vehicles to and from Tripura.
Tripura State officials said around 5,000 trucks bound for Tripura are stranded on Assam side and transport workers were facing shortage of food and water.
Truckers stuck
Meanwhile hundreds of bikers line up at the petrol stations in Agartala and elsewhere from early in the morning, but only handful are lucky to get a litre or two of fuel. Security forces have been deployed at petrol stations to prevent violence.
The standoff on the national highway also gave the Opposition parties an opportunity to take on the CPI(M)-led Left Front government. On Monday, Trinamool Congress workers staged a demonstration near Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s official residence in Agartala over the State’s government’s alleged incompetence in tackling the situation.
