Rupandehi – The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is set to relocate its Bhalwari fuel depot in Bhairahawa to Rohini and Omsatiya rural municipalities, citing inadequate storage capacity and safety risks in its current location.
A detailed project report (DPR) worth about Rs 5.75 billion has been prepared by the Consultancy Services Department of Kathmandu University and was handed over to Pradeep Yadav, Chief of NOC’s Fuel Storage Capacity Enhancement Project, on Wednesday. The DPR estimates construction costs at Rs 5.793 billion (excluding taxes).
“The DPR for constructing the new depot is ready. We will soon begin the construction process,” Yadav said, adding that the facility will be modern, automated, and fully equipped. Plans include land development, boundary walls, access roads, fuel storage facilities, petroleum flow systems, and fire-fighting pipelines.
Storage Capacity
- Diesel: 3 vertical tanks of 4,500 kiloliters each (13,500 KL total)
- Petrol: 2 tanks of 2,100 KL and 1 tank of 760 KL (4,960 KL total)
- Kerosene: 2 vertical tanks of 76 KL (152 KL total)
The new depot will meet one month’s petroleum demand for Lumbini Province. It will also feature fire-safety systems, including two water tanks of 2,100 KL capacity, eight loading bays, and eight unloading bays.
Additional Facilities
The DPR outlines construction of administrative and control buildings, laboratories, billing and storage units, residential quarters for staff, housing for security personnel, rest areas for tanker drivers, security posts, and tanker parking spaces.
NOC has already acquired 11.5 bigha of land for the project, while an additional 8.5 bigha is being secured with the support of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Rupandehi District Administration Office. Another 5.5 bigha adjacent to the main road is under acquisition. Land leveling, gabion walls, and retaining walls have already been completed, and a site office is operational.
Need for Relocation
The existing Bhalwari depot is located in a narrow, densely populated settlement, raising serious safety concerns. Local residents have long pressed NOC to shift the depot, warning that even a minor accident could cause major casualties and destruction.
Currently, the Bhairahawa depot covers just 5.5 bigha of land, with limited capacity—519 KL for petrol, 3,040 KL for diesel, and 280 KL for kerosene—insufficient to meet rising demand. “Compared to current consumption, the storage capacity is extremely low, and there is no land for expansion,” Yadav stated.
