AGARTALA, October 7 (TIWN): Vehicle users of the city have been facing an unprecedented crisis following the unavailability of fuel in most of the petrol pumps, catering to the requirement of motorists of the city and its surrounding areas.The crisis was started from last October 1. All the petrol pumps of Agartala and other major cities have been witnessing a long queue for getting fuel since morning to late night but many of them went back with empty tanks. Hundreds of vehicles were seen waiting in front of petrol filling station while many centers had hanged the board of No-Petrol. Outside in the black-market petrol is available at Rs. 300 to 350 per liter but that is also adulterated with kerosene.

Speaking to TIWN a bike owner namely Pradip Ghosh said that I have come here for petrol but they are only giving two liters per bike. How can we do with so little petrol?   Most of the filling stations have put the board of no petrol but actually there is oil. We are compelled to buy petrol from the black-market at Rs.300 to 350 per liter, he added.

Owners of vehicles are facing great difficulties in obtaining fuel. They are forced to spend their days from the early morning onwards waiting in long queues in front of the petrol stations to get fuel. However, the state government has announced to provide locomotive fuel through rationing system in the wake of petrol crisis in Agartala city and other sub-divisional headquarters. The state government would sanction 2 liters for small vehicles and 5 liters would be allowed for big vehicles on a daily basis.

It may be mentioned here that the fuel that comes to the state from Assam has been disrupted due to the continuous blockade of National Highway (NH) 44 in Meghalaya till last September 28.And the same has hit the stock of petroleum products of the state and by that time demand of petrol and diesel went up dtrastically among the Durga puja revelers.

For the last six days the people of the city are facing a huge crisis of petrol with most of the pumps shut down while only one petrol pump is reported operating but with  a shortfall. Due to this, people were seen waiting for refilling their vehicle tanks. While most of the pumps supplied fuel much less than the required quantity, few other ones were open for the whole day facing huge throng of vehicles.  On the other hand, anticipating further slash down of price of fuel, dealers of the state did not send advance requisition and payment to Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which further deteriorated the situation, officials stated.

However, the petrol pump owners of the city have said it was only a temporary problem caused by blockade of National Highway (NH) 44 in Meghalaya and also for the recent landside in Meghalaya and assured that the situation would be normalized, soon.

On part of State Govt and its countless red-beacon car holder higher officials, no one anticipated that petrol crisis will hit Tripura so hard. During Puja and Eid seasons, people of Tripura certainly realizing what exactly feels like living in "Golden Age" of Tripura ?