Acute power shortage at the Dimapur railway station has come to such a stage, that it could result in a forced shutdown causing total collapse of the entire system as the station is facing a serious crisis of shortage of oil to run its diesel generators at the power house.
The problem faced by Dimapur Railway Station was compounded when it had consumed more diesel as compared with last year’s period due to long hours of load shedding during the months of July and August, for back up power from diesel generators.
However, with stocks of diesel now said to be almost nil, the Dimapur railway station’s request for urgent supply was refused by the Lumding divisional headquarters.
Sources said NFR Lumding division has expressed inability to supply diesel on the ground that Dimapur Railway Station has exhausted its sanctioned quantity of diesel for the current year period.
A senior official of the Dimapur Railway Station, told Nagaland Post here Sunday, that request for urgent supply of diesel was turned down since the consumption exceeded current year’s sanctioned stock.
The official also revealed that when the request was made to Lumding Division, the officials there expressed inability to supply diesel and even went as far as to advice that if Dimapur Railway Station could not manage, then there was no option but to shut down.
Also talking to Nagaland Post, personnel of the GRPS said that their top priority was to deal with criminals, foreigner verifications, safety of VIPs and movement of police officials.
In view of the nature of their duties, the GRPS personnel pointed out that it was absolutely necessary to have uninterrupted power supply in the entire platform and the surroundings.
They said if black out ensued, then there could be chaos and also provide criminal gangs an opportunity to commit various crimes by taking advantage of the situation.
The power house at railway station provides power supply for the entire platform, passenger reservation system, parcel office, engineering wings, railway siding area, railway unit hospital, railway mail service, GRPS, RPF and divisional assistant commissioner (railway). Unless the state power department guarantees needed power supply, the situation could turn worse, said an official.