CHANDIGHAR DEC 30 : Indian Oil Corporation Limited has completed its highest-ever advance winter stocking drive, moving over one lakh kilolitres of fuel into Ladakh ahead of the annual winter closure of road links to the region.
Road access to Ladakh via high passes like Zojila and Rohtang typically remains shut from December to April due to heavy snowfall, making pre-winter stocking essential to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies. This advance stocking is critical not only for civilians but also for meeting the strategic requirements of the Indian Army deployed in the area.
Indian Oil’s tanker crews operate on one of the toughest supply routes in the world, driving 1,600–2,000 km per trip over 7–8 days in temperatures that can plunge to minus 20 degrees Celsius, negotiating heavy snowfall, low oxygen levels and narrow, hazardous mountain roads. Logistics are further complicated by frequent disruptions on National Highway-44 due to bad weather, Amarnath Yatra congestion and peak apple transportation traffic.
This year’s operation was hit by a cloudburst in Ramban district on April 20, which triggered flash floods and landslides that briefly trapped tankers and blocked NH-44, as well as by security restrictions and blackout conditions after the Pahalgam incident on April 22. Despite these hurdles, supplies to Ladakh were maintained.
Indian Oil Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney interacted with tanker drivers to boost their morale, stressing that the company’s motto, “Pehle Indian, Phir Oil,” underlines its commitment to national service. With this record stocking operation, the company has reinforced its role in safeguarding fuel security in one of India’s most remote and challenging regions.
