AIZAWL: The Mizoram government is making efforts to set up a rail-fed Petroleum Oil Lubricant (POL) depot near Aizawl, an official statement said on Thursday.
The proposed oil depot is planned to be set up at Sihhmui, about 22 km north of Aizawl, the statement said.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Thursday convened a meeting with officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and reviewed the plans made by the oil company for setting up the new oil depot.
The proposed oil depot would be a rail-fed when construction of the broad gauge railway line between Bairabi and Sairang is completed, officials said.
The construction of the railway line is in full swing, they said.
Mizoram has not even a single oil depot for which it often faced an oil crisis when supply stopped from outside due to bad road conditions or strikes.
Most oil supplies come from Assam.
Officials said that filing stations across the state could store fuels to meet the requirements of public consumers for only around five days.
The meeting between the chief minister and IOCL officials also reviewed the proposal for the expansion and upgrade of the existing gas bottling plant at Mualkhang near Aizawl.
Food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister K. Lalrinliana and top officials of the department were also present in the meeting.