Tripura and Mizoram have started rationing petroleum products as extreme weather conditions wreak havoc in lower Assam, cutting railway connectivity with Tripura and other North-Eastern states.
According to a recent government order, now two-wheeler owners can only get fuel worth Rs 200 in a day, while for three-wheeler owners, it has been capped at Rs 300. Owners of four-wheelers can buy fuel for up to Rs 1,000 per day.
A News18 report said that the new rates had been implemented from Wednesday till further orders.
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Samar Bhattacherjee, a filling station owner, said, "The rail communication that has been disrupted will take months to be restored. The road has been closed, too, for the last seven days and will continue for many more days."
"The stocks at the depot are limited. The IOC (Indian Oil Corporation Ltd) has rationed the supply so that the stock lasts till the crisis is over. I need two tankers, whereas I am getting one a day, and now this shall also come on alternate days. People need to cooperate," Bhattacherjee said.
Earlier, reports said that Tripura was readying a contingency plan to supply essential items by road from Assam as restoration of the railway network affected by rain-triggered landslides in the neighbouring state will take at least two months.
As of now, Tripura has "no shortage" of essential items and fuel, but if the suspension of train services continues for a long time, it will impact the regular supply to the state, PTI reported food and civil supplies department additional secretary Tapan Kumar Das as saying.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has already suspended train services to Tripura, south Assam, Manipur, and Mizoram in the wake of significant landslides between Maibong and Bandarkhal in Assam till May 25, an official said.
The official said that all the seven long-distance passenger trains had been suspended because of the disaster-like situation in Assam's Maibong area.
"We are in touch with DRM of the Lumding railway division for restoration works. The NFR said it would take at least two months to restore train services through the affected areas," state transport department principal secretary LH Darlong told PTI.
The restoration works may get delayed if the rain continues in Maibong and its adjacent areas, he said.
(With inputs from Niloy Bhattacharjya)
(Edited by : Akrit Anand)
First Published: May 18, 2022 11:52 AM IST
