Aizawl, Mar 7: The Mizoram government is making efforts to set up the first oil depot in the state, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister B Lalchhanzova informed the assembly on Thursday.
Replying to questions from opposition and ruling members during Question Hour, Lalchhanzova said the oil depot will be set up in an area near Sairang railway station, around 21 km from Aizawl.
He said that two lands have been shortlisted by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the project and it is expected to be finalised within four months from now.
The minister said that the expansion and upgradation of the existing gas bottling plant at Mualkhang near Sairang by IOCL is also expected to begin soon.
Mizoram does not have a single oil depot, and because of this, the state often faces oil crises when supply stops from outside the state due to bad road conditions or strikes.
Officials said that filing stations across the state could store fuel to meet the requirements of the public for only a few days.
The proposed oil depot would be rail-fed when construction of the broad-gauge line between Bairabi and Sairang is completed, they said.(PTI)
