"We have already awarded a tender for supplying two jet-refilling tankers with a capacity of 27 kiloliters each," said Digambhar Jha, chief of the NOC, the state-owned petroleum import monopolist, adding that the vehicles will be delivered in six months. [break]
Likewise, the corporation has further invited bids for supplying six smaller aircraft-refilling vehicles with a capacity of 12 kiloliters each. To procure the two jet-refilling tankers, the NOC is spending Rs 35 million, exclusive of customs duty and value added tax.
The smaller aircraft-refilling tankers could cost Rs 8 million each, that is, Rs 96 million in total for the corporation. "The large refilling vehicles will be used at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), while the smaller ones will be used in Kathmandu as well as at other major airports outside the capital," said Jha.
Currently, the corporation is operating with about one-and-a-half dozen aircraft-refilling tankers.
Even though the corporation´s plan to set up refilling stations in the Kathmandu Valley was met with criticism in certain quarters, Jha said that the corporation would set up the two refilling stations in Biratnagar and Birgunj.
"The stations will be built on land owned by the corporation, where the regional and city offices are present," said Jha, elaborating that the Employees´ Welfare Association of the corporation will operate the stations.
The corporation had long been pushing for the establishment of its own refilling stations in the Valley and outside. In this connection, it had even sought the permission of the government to set up 100 refilling in different parts of the country, in a joint investment with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
"As we have just emerged from years where we have seen losses, we are not chalking up ambitious plans. But we will have the two refilling stations established by the end of the current fiscal year," said Jha.
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