IOC Raxaul-depot starts providing fuel

Supply lower than demand: NOC
KATHMANDU, Feb 9: The Raxaul-based depot of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has finally begun loading fuel onto Nepali tankers following IOC's instruction to its Raxaul depot for the same. The development comes following the reopening of the Birgunj-Raxaul border point from last Friday. The main supplies entry point between Nepal and India had remained closed for over five months due to protests by Madhesi parties against the new constitution and an unofficial blockade by India.
 
According to the Amlekhganj-based regional office of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the Raxaul depot on Monday provided 368 kiloliters (KL) of petroleum products that included 108KL of petrol, 140KL of diesel and 120KL of aviation turbine fuel (ATF). However, the amount of fuel provided Monday is much less compared to NOC's demand for the day. Following IOC's assurance to normalize fuel supply from Raxaul depot, NOC had asked the depot to load 2,300KL of petroleum products (400KL petrol, 1,500KL diesel and 400KL ATF) for Monday.

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“Though IOC has started loading fuel onto Nepal bound tankers at its Raxaul depot officially from Monday, all our tankers could not be loaded due to dillydallying by the depot,” Bhanubhakta Khanal, chief of NOC's Amlekhgunj regional office told Republica, adding, “We expect that the Raxaul depot will load more tankers from Tuesday and supply us fuel as per our demand.”
 
According to Khanal, the Raxaul depot loaded ful onto only 24 Nepal bound tankers on Monday.

According to NOC, fuel supply from Raxaul depot accounts for almost 70 percent of the total fuel demand in the domestic market.

During normal times, IOC's Raxaul depot supplies 700KL of petrol, 1,300KL of diesel and 400KL of ATF per day. The normal regular demand of petrol, diesel and ATF of the country, according to NOC, is almost 1,100 KL, 2,700KL and 500KL respectively.
 
The Raxaul-depot, however, doesn't supply LPG. LPG to Nepal is supplied from IOC's Barauni, Haldia and Muthura refineries.

Meanwhile, NOC officials say that IOC has not yet given strong indication about normalizing fuel supply Nepal. “Though IOC seems quite positive, we can be certain about full-fledged resumption of supply only after analyzing the supply figures of a few days,” a senior NOC official told Republica.
    
NOC officials said that fuel crisis in Kathmandu Valley will ease within a week if IOC resumes normal supply.