New fuel filling stations for North

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Arrangements have been made to provide new fuel filling stations for the Northern Province. Several filling stations have already been established in the North and more filling stations are to be opened soon, a Petroleum Industries Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman the filling station constructed in Kilinochchi will be opened on July 13 by Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha. It has been built at a cost of Rs 8.6 million for the benefit of newly resettled people.

Transportation along the A9 road has increased since the end of the humanitarian operation. Therefore the demand for fuel has also increased. A large number of filling stations had been destroyed by the LTTE during the past and many filling stations located along the A9 road (especially filling stations from Vavuniya to Elephant Pass) have been destroyed. A filling station set up at Mankulam at a cost of Rs 8.4 million has already been opened.

The construction of Puliyankulam filling station is going on, he said.

The Hirunorukandi and Uilankulama filling stations which were used by the LTTE is now opened for the public after renovations. A new filling station has been set up at Thunukkai. More filling stations are to be set up soon under the direction of Minister Premajayantha to meet the demand, he added.