AGARTALA, Feb 11 (TIWN): Tripura continues to experience major fuel crisis as the regular movement of vehicles has been badly hampered due to the dilapidated condition of the National Highway 44 in Lowerpoa in Assam.

With no other measures of transportation the state is totally dependent on the highway, which is considered the lifeline, for importing fuel from Assam, the crisis has been on for not less than at least 5 days. Earlier it was petrol, now the state is equally hit with the diesel crisis too.

People of the state continue to suffer under the lacklustre attitude of the ruling government, its being nearing to 5 days and the government is completely silent.

A majority of fuel filling stations have put up signs of 'no petrol' and 'no diesel' in the wake of fuel tankers not coming through the 12-kilometer stretch between Patherkandi in Assam and Churaibari in Tripura, which has turned into horrible shape for travelling due to lack of maintenance.

There is also a long queue of bikers and vehicles at various fuel filling stations.

Petrol pumps in the state have gone dry due to blockade of national highways by heavy downpour continuing since last week. According to food and civil supplies department all the oil pumps in the state have gone dry except two. 

Reports said that petrol and diesel was earlier sold in the black-market but now it was not available even in the black-market. Prices of all essential commodities have gone up due to the deteriorating condition of national high way. However, government sources say some respite is on the way as an alternative route has been worked out for the supplies to come in.

The petrol crisis could only have been prevented had the government anticipated and taken early measures The crisis could only have been prevented if the government had anticipated the crisis and taken early measures to import more petrol, prevent and manage better.

Other than taking any steps to curb the problem of petrol crisis, the Tripura government has blamed the Centre for the "pitiable state of National Highway 44" linking Tripura with the rest of the country through Assam, Meghalaya and north Bengal.

A 22-km stretch of the highway between Patharkandi in Karimganj district of Assam and Churaibari in the state has remained virtually unusable due to lack of timely repair.

A part of the responsibility must be borne by the Assam government also. Despite our repeated requests, the Assam government has done next to nothing to repair their part of the highway, said source.

The perishable goods, including truckloads of fish from Andhra Pradesh, have rotted while a severe fuel crisis has gripped the state.