Jaleswar: Residents of Balasore district have been severely hit by fuel shortage due to the closure of train services on the KharagpurBhadrak section following the triple train tragedy at Bahanaga Bazaar station, a report said Monday. Repairing of the railway tracks and some other works have started after the train mishap following a direction by the authorities of South Eastern Railway. As a result, plying of several trains has been cancelled and train services here have virtually come to a halt.
As fuel-laden wagons are not plying on the route for the last 12 days, petrol and diesel are not available at the depots of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Reliance Petroleum, and others. Things have come to such a pass that every petrol pump in the district is facing a fuel crunch for which two-wheelers, cars, and cargo vehicles are feeling the pinch. Realising the situation, petrol pump owners in Balasore are reportedly procuring fuel from Paradip through tankers by road. However, that has failed to meet the increasing demand.