KOLKATA: An official of an Indian Oil Corporation Ltd refinery in Assam has listed the trucks that held up at the Assam-Bengal border with consignments despatched from its refineries for over a month. The reason for the hold-up is unknown. Repeated pleas to various quarters including offices of the West Bengal CM, state finance minister, Prime Minister’s Office and the Union finance minister has not elicited any response.About 300 trucks carrying raw petroleum coke from IOCL refineries in Guwahati, Digboi and Bongaigaon, Assam, have remained stranded at Serampore and Bakshirhat on the Assam-West Bengal border for about 40 days, disrupting interstate trade and supplies worth crores of rupees. The GST-paid consignments are headed to units in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.“Nearly half the trucks are bound for Visakhapatnam, while the remaining consignments are destined for industrial areas in West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha,” said Kailash Agarwal, a prominent representative of the Barauni Calciners Association.The Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners Association (APLOA) have also complained that the vehicles were stopped despite having statutory documents, valid e-way bills and proof of tax payments.The prolonged disruption has raised concerns about raw-material shortages and production delays at industrial units. Graphite India Ltd plant general manager Alok Chandak said production at its Durgapur unit had been affected by the supply stoppage, leaving more than 1,000 workers idle and halting export operations.Rajesh Vadera, representing another group, said the reason for stopping the vehicles was unclear and denial of entry despite valid documents was causing heavy losses.APLOA said vehicle owners had incurred about Rs 1 crore in demurrage, besides mounting detention charges and interest. It warned that delayed deliveries could further affect company and industrial operations.Drivers stranded at the border are also facing shortages of food, drinking water and toilet facilities.The association has submitted a memorandum to Union Finance Ministry and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, seeking immediate verification of documents for 16 Andhra Pradesh-bound trucks and the release of vehicles stopped without a written statutory basis. It sought an early resolution to restore truck movement and ease difficulties faced by drivers and traders.
