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Preparations have begun to build a provincial-level fuel storage depot in Surkhet for Karnali Province.

The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has initiated the process for constructing fuel depot in Surkhet after the province lacked a facility capable of storing fuel even for a few days.

A tender has been invited for the construction of the depot at a cost of about Rs. 140 million. According to the Karnali Provincial Office of Nepal Oil Corporation in Surkhet, the project aims to complete construction within two years of the tender process.

Senior Assistant of the Office, Madhav Prasad Bhatta, said that the tender has been invited for the construction of a provincial-level fuel storage depot and the target has been set to build the depot within 2027/28.

Currently, Surkhet has storage facilities only for aviation fuel and kerosene, but none for diesel and petrol. As a result, fuel has to be transported from Nepalgunj in tankers and distributed to dealers on the same day. At present, the Office can store only 45,000 litres of kerosene and 60,000 litres of aviation fuel.

Bhatta said that the provincial-level fuel storage depot will have a capacity to store 280,000 litres of diesel and 140,000 litres of petrol.

The NOC office in Surkhet covers an area of one bigha land, and the new depot will be constructed within the same premises.

He said that after the construction of the provincial-level fuel storage depot, it will be easy to distribute fuel in this area as well as meet the shortage even if there is a shortage for a few days.

He said that all the standards for the storage depot will be met. While other provinces already have fuel storage depots, Karnali does not. Therefore, the Corporation has started the groundwork to establish one in Surkhet.

Currently, the Surkhet Office distributes about 100,000 litres of diesel and 60,000 litres of petrol daily. The Office supplies fuel to petrol pumps in all districts of Karnali Province except Salyan.

Bhatta said that once the provincial fuel storage depot is completed, it will help ensure smoother fuel distribution in the region and make it easier to manage shortages for several days if supply disruptions occur.

He added that all required standards and regulations will be fully met during construction. At present, fuel is transported from the Nepalgunj office via tankers.

The Surkhet Office collects required funds based on demand and requests supply from Nepalgunj.

The fuel is sold to the fuel depots here on the same day, said Bhatta. This problem is faced due to the lack of a storage depot.

The Corporation's Surkhet office has also been monitoring and inspecting the fuel depots from time to time.

Although no complaints have been reported regarding local fuel outlets, the Corporation carries out inspections independently or in coordination with the District Administration Office and issues warnings if any irregularities are found, he said.

By Lalit Basel