Thousands of trucks stranded on Tripura highway, fuel prices skyrocket

Agartala: As thousands of trucks and oil tankers are now stranded in Assam's Karimganj district due to damage of Assam-Agartala National Highway (NH-8), Tripura government has imposed rationing in the use of fuel, a minister said on Sunday.

"A long stretch of the Assam-Agartala (NH 8) at Lowerpoa in Karimganj district of Assam is badly damaged and thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities and fuel are stranded. So, we have imposed rationing on use of petrol and diesel," state minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Bhanu Lal Saha said.

He said all the petrol pumps in the state were instructed not to sell fuel worth more than Rs 200 at a time to vehicles like motor bikes and small cars.

He said due to slight improvement of roads only ten trucks carrying fuel could enter the state every day but the state requires more than 20 trucks or oil tankers every day.

The Minister hoped that the situation would be improved within a week as trucks have started entering the state through an alternative route via Kathaltali of Assam in Karimganj district. Saha said there are buffer stocks of food grains for 55 days.

Tripura PWD minister Badal Chowdhury earlier on June 27 urged Centre and the Assam government for immediate repair of a portion of the National Highway 8 in Karimganj district of Assam as thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities for Tripura were stranded there.