Agartala: The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is all set to start transportation of fuel tankers carrying petroleum products to Tripura from Guwahati via Bangladesh from September 7, official sources here on Saturday said.
Following signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IOCL and the Roads and Highways Department of Bangladesh at Dhaka on July 18, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas last week has approved the final clearance to carry fuel and cooking gas via Bangladesh.
“IOCL is ready with all formalities, including issuance of passport and Visa of Bangladesh to the drivers and accompanying persons of the tankers. IOCL officials have also inspected the entire stretches of the road in both India and Bangladesh and issued green signal for movement,” said a senior official of the Tripura government.
According to the official, the first fuel consignment for Tripura is scheduled to start on September 7 from Guwahati.
The distance from IOC’s Betkuchi depot of Guwahati to Dharmanagar depot in Tripura via Bangladesh will be 366 km, including 126 km in the neighbouring Bangladesh, more than 20 kms less than Assam-Agartala highway through high terrine.
The tankers will enter Bangladesh through Dawki point in Meghalaya and re-enter India at Kailashahar in North Tripura covering journey through plain road of Bangladesh, the official said.
“As per the agreement, we will pay 1.02 Bangladeshi Taka per tonne per km along with 200 Bangladeshi Taka for entry and exit charges. The MoU also says that at any point of time, not more than 160 tankers will be plying on Bangladeshi roads,” said IOCL Executive Director Dipankar Ray.
The company will have to pay around 1,500 Taka to Bangladesh per vehicle, which will be about Rs 1,300 in Indian currency.
The agreement is valid for this month only, but there is provision of review and renew of the permit after examining the success of the process in one month, Ray added.
Meanwhile, Food and Civil Supplies Minister of Tripura Bhanu Lal Saha on Saturday said that state owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) has started ferrying a fresh consignment of 2,350 tonnes of rice from Kolkata to Tripura via Bangladesh to avoid transportation hitches. (UNI)
