AGARTALA, June 19 (TIWN): Prolonged dilapidated condition of NH44 in the state has led to LPG cooking gas crisis over past few days.

Until and unless the roads are not renovated it will not be possible to smoothen the LPG supply in the state.

It is to be motioned here that there has been no improvement in the condition of roads on a 15-kilometer-long stretch on National Highway-44 between Lower Powa in Assam, and Churaibari in Tripura. The road has virtually turned into a paddy field since April following incessant rains and administrative neglect.

Talking to TIWN correspondent, Food department official said that the supplies of cylinders to the state in less as the trucks are stranded in the NH44 it has become to get the supply of cylinders.

Huge number of trucks carrying perishable items like fish, potato, onion and fruits and a few hundred trucks with other essential items remain stranded at Lower Powa.

A few bulldozers have been brought in to remove the sludge and stuck vehicles, but in vain.

Drivers and their helpers, who have been without proper food, water or sanitation, complained about never seeing such a pathetic road condition as also the total apathy of the Governments of both the state towards repairing the damaged road.

Commuters were found passing the stress of road on foot.

There is huge crisis of fuel, cooking gas and other essential commodities for the past few days in Tripura.

These days hundreds of people are seen standing outside the gas agencies to seek a refill and to get their cylinder. Shortage of LPG has triggered spontaneous protests in many areas across the state.

Taking full advantage of the current situation, black-marketers are making money by selling a gas cylinder almost double its price in the market.

Weekly, there should be bottling of 1 lakh cylinder in an average rate but recently bottling of only 10,000 cylinders are done.

With irregularities in the roads for transportation, the consumers of the LPG cylinders are facing the crisis. As the agencies are not provided with the cooking gas cylinder they are unable to supply it to the consumers.

Reportedly, the state requires over 1, 72,535 cylinders every month. The total number of gas agencies is being increased to 46. In such position, the two LPG bottling plants at Bishalgarh and Kalagachhia in West Tripura district are unable to cope with the rising demand for LPG cylinders.

As a result, a huge backlog has been created all over the state. However, there is no assurance when will the crisis of LPG cylinders will come to an end.