Malom depot likely to see light of day in September
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 03 2015 : Even though railway network which would connect Imphal with other parts of the country is not expected in the next couple of years, the rail-fed oil depot being constructed at Malom is likely to become operational as a road-fed oil depot by the month of September this year.

According to an IOC official, IOC has already intimated the State Government that the Malom depot would become operational in September.

One major prerequisite for the Malom depot to become operational is uninterrupted power supply.

Taking due note of the sheer necessity of uninterrupted power supply, IOC has already deposited Rs six crore with the Government of Manipur.

Together with depositing Rs six crore with the Power Department, IOC has written to the State Government to provide uninterrupted power supply to the oil depot as soon as possible.

IOC officials are confident that the State Government would make necessary arrangements to provide uninterrupted power supply to the depot sooner rather than later.

All essential commodities are being shipped in along Imphal-Dimapur highway and Imphal-Silchar highway to some extent but both these highways are prone to all sorts of disturbances including bandhs and blockades which often drag on for days and weeks.

The oil depot at Malom which is nearing completion

Such disturbances and disruptive activities create artificial scarcity of essential commodities including petroleum products throughout the State.

In line with the Government of India's plan to put Imphal on the railway map of the country, the rail-fed oil depot was constructed at Malom with a view to reduce the impacts of highway bandhs and blockades.

The approximate capacity of the Malom depot is 22,000 Kls.

Capacity of the depot for MS (petrol) is 5124 Kls and it has capacity to stock 11796 Kls of HSD and 5055 Kls of SK Oil.

Total capacity of the IOC's Chingmeirong depot is 6909 Kls which is sub-divided into 840 Kls for petrol, 3341 Kls for HSD and 2528 Kls for SK Oil.

As the storage capacity of Malom depot is much higher than the Chingmeirong depot, many are expecting that the problem of fuel shortage can be addressed significantly once the Malom depot is commissioned.

Moreover, once railways start transhipping petroleum products to Imphal, the problems encountered on highways can be negated.

As the Malom depot should be made operational before Imphal is linked with the country's railway network.

Oil tankers and CRPF escorts are required to ship in petroleum products on a daily basis.

Earlier too, oil tankers and CRPF escorts shipped in petroleum products everyday but this arrangement got disoriented when trucks joined the convoy.

As a result, oil tankers were incapacitated to ship in petroleum products on daily basis since the month of August last year.

Nonetheless, IOC has submitted a representation to the State Government seeking necessary arrangements for movement of oil tankers on daily basis with CRPF escorts.

At present, oil tankers escorted by CRPF troops go to different oil refineries four days in a week.

IOC has been appealing to the State Government to make necessary arrangements for movement of oil tankers with CRPF escorts at least five days in a week, if not everyday.

All mechanical works for the Malom depot are likely to be completed by July.

The total area handed over to IOC by the State Government for the rail-fed oil depot is 35.65 acres but some more areas would be required when the depot is made operational, said the official source.

As such, IOC has already demanded the State Government to allot additional 9.202 acres.

In response, the State Government has been asking IOC to pay Rs 10.19 crore for the 9.202 acres.

While assuring that the said amount would be paid in the next three/four months without interest, IOC has urged the State Government to start land acquisition process as soon as possible, the official added.