Kathmandu, September 6
Nearly 88,000 cooking gas cylinders have entered the Kathmandu Valley over the past three days through alternative routes after a landslide blocked the Krishnabhir section of the Prithvi Highway in Dhading.
According to the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), a total of 87,877 LPG cylinders were brought into the Valley between September 3 and 5 to prevent disruptions to cooking gas supplies.
The corporation said it had arranged for LPG cylinders to be refilled at industries in the southern plains and transported to Kathmandu through alternative routes after the highway was blocked.
Of the total, 24,494 cylinders arrived in Kathmandu on September 3, followed by 34,134 cylinders on September 4 and 29,249 cylinders on September 5.
The NOC said the arrangement was made after taking into account the possible impact of the road obstruction on LPG supplies to the Valley.
Under the alternative arrangement, cylinders belonging to gas industries in Kathmandu, Dhading and Kavrepalanchok are being transported to industries in Bara, Parsa, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Dhanusha and Mahottari for refilling. They are then being brought back to Kathmandu through alternative routes.
The cylinders entering the Valley through this arrangement include brands such as Shree, Surya, Om, Shriram, Sagar, Saibaba/Shreekrishna, Shreemaya (Kavsons), Lokpriya (Ugrachandi), Everest/Sugam, Nepal, HP (Himalayan), STC (Metro Kathmandu), Siddhartha, Himal (Gaurishankar), Sitashree and Namaste.
The NOC said LPG from 16 industries is being brought into the Valley continuously through the alternative routes.
The corporation said the alternative supply arrangement would remain in place until the Krishnabhir section of the Prithvi Highway is restored to regular operation.
The Krishna Bhir section has been affected by landslides and erosion, disrupting one of the main road links between Kathmandu and the rest of the country.
The NOC said it would continue monitoring the situation and maintain LPG supplies through the alternative route until normal road access is restored.
