Tripura government approaches Centre to help with supply of fuel amid crisis

Tripura government seeks Railway Ministry help for fuel crisis, restrictions in place, Chief Minister monitoring situation closely.

One week after the crisis emerged, the Tripura government requested the intervention of the Union Railway Ministry to assist in transporting fuel to the State. In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has asked for necessary steps to be taken as the State is currently facing a severe shortage of petrol and diesel.

The Tripura government had earlier imposed restrictions on the sale of fuel in order to address the crisis. Private transportation has been greatly affected, with long queues forming at filling stations for all types of vehicles.

State government officials have stated that the crisis was caused by damage to a rail route in a hilly area of Assam due to landslides. Despite some repairs done, the train service has not been fully restored.

The restrictions on the distribution of petrol and diesel will continue for a few more days until normal supply can be resumed along the railway, an official said on Wednesday. Currently, two-wheelers are limited to a maximum of ₹200 worth of petrol and four-wheelers are limited to ₹500 per day at filling stations.

The Chief Minister’s office has released a statement saying that Dr. Saha is personally monitoring the situation, and they hope the crisis will be resolved within the next few days.

In the meantime, CNG distribution has returned to normal after a brief shortage. Officials have reported that filling stations operated by the Tripura Natural Gas Company Limited have now sufficient stock.