Tankers refuse to ply on 'dangerous' road
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 01 2019:
Due to worsening road conditions near Kohima along Imphal -Dimapur road, many oil tankers are apprehensive of plying along the road.
The condition is such that even the oil tankers which are slated to arrive from Khatkhathi to Malom Oil depot with CRPF convoy have decided against the plan.
According to reliable sources, including from Malom Oil Depot which is under IOCL, the fully loaded oil tankers at Khatkhathi have declined to ply along the route after the condition of the road near Kohima became uncertain.
As the loaded tankers have declined to traverse the road, the scheduled journey of empty oil tankers and LPG bullet tankers which are to be escorted by CRPF convoy from Manipur today has been cancelled as well.
This has created a dilemma because the oil tankers stuck at Khatkhathi, which would normally leave tonight and reach Imphal tomorrow with the CRPF escort, will not arrive as well, the sources continued.
Even though such inconvenience in transportation of fuel and LPG are normally faced during the monsoon season in the past, the recent rain during the last few days has begun posing immense hurdles in the transportation of fuel and LPG even before the arrival of the monsoon season.
As such, the State might face a shortage of petroleum and LPG quite soon, the sources added.
The sources continued that even though the State Government has banned vehicles weighing more than 25 tonnes from operating along the said National Highway in view of the road conditions, the ban is not properly implemented.
Despite the presence of such a ban, vehicles weighing more than 40 tonnes and trailers which can carry heavy machinery, are going in and out along the said route, the source added.