Agartala, November 09, 2024: Following the derailment of a freight train on the Lumding-Badarpur section of the North-East Frontier Railway, the region has seen significant disruption in the import of essential commodities, including petroleum products. The derailment damaged approximately 4-5 kilometers of the railway line has led to the suspension of all incoming freight services by rail, causing logistical challenges for the state.
Railway authorities are undertaking repairs “at a war-time pace,” aiming to reopen the crucial freight route by November 13, 2024. Officials have deployed resources for rapid track reconstruction in an effort to restore the flow of essential goods. “The team is working tirelessly to repair the damage. All necessary arrangements have been made to expedite the resumption of freight services,” confirmed an official with the North-East Frontier Railway.
In the interim, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has arranged alternative transportation routes to maintain fuel supplies, trucking in petrol and diesel from depots located in Guwahati, Betkuchi, Lamding, and Silchar in Assam. Despite these efforts, fuel stock levels in some parts of the state have been strained, prompting a temporary rationing system for petrol distribution.
Beginning November 10, 2024, fuel rationing will be enforced across all petrol pumps, including the IOCL depot in Dharmanagar, to manage the limited supply. Director of the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department, Sumit Lodh, advised citizens to remain calm and avoid panic-buying. “We urge the public to cooperate fully with the rationing measures. This is a temporary step until we can stabilize fuel deliveries by rail,” Lodh stated.
The rationing policy will remain active until the railway line is fully operational, helping to ensure equitable distribution of available fuel. Authorities have appealed to the public to purchase only as much fuel as is necessary, reminding citizens that over-purchasing could exacerbate the current shortage.
As rail crews push to restore service on the damaged section, state agencies continue to monitor the situation closely, assuring residents that additional contingencies are in place to prevent major disruptions.
