‘Odd-even’ fuel system suspended till August 1 in Tripura

The Tripura government suspended till August 1 the ‘odd-even system’ introduced to stop black marketing of petroleum products after a series of protests in demand of petrol throughout Friday.

The Tripura government suspended till August 1 the ‘odd-even system’ introduced to stop black marketing of petroleum products after a series of protests in demand of petrol throughout Friday.

Policemen guard a fuel station during a protest against the petrol crisis in Agartala. (Reuters File Photo)

The transport system suffered due to a lack of petrol in different areas of the capital city.

Angry mobs protested outside the residences of chief minister Manik Sarkar and food and civil supplies minister Bhanulal Saha on Friday night.

Though none of the ministers met them, West District magistrate and SP came to intervene. They managed to control the situation and assured protesters that petrol would be available in eight pumps of the capital city by Saturday.

The government finally suspended the ‘odd-even’ system after the situation.

The state introduced the odd-even system for rationing fuel products. According to this, vehicles with odd registration numbers would get fuel on odd dates and those with even numbers on even dates.

Government official sources said that a total of two lakh litres of petrol would reach the state by Saturday through an alternative highway. By Friday night, approximately 393 vehicles carrying petroleum products entered the state.