Fuel Supply Disruption in Pune: Petrol Dealers Halt Transport Indefinitely

Pune, 16th October 2024: Petrol pump operators in Pune began protesting on Tuesday (15th October) due to the non-acceptance of their demands by petroleum companies. The operators have stopped sending their tankers to the depots of these companies for refueling, leading to a noticeable shortage of petrol and diesel at the stations.

The Petrol Dealers’ Association of Pune has decided to halt the transport of petrol and diesel indefinitely. A total of 900 pump operators from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and surrounding rural areas, along with 500 pump operators from Satara district, are participating in the protest.

Of the tankers transporting fuel from the depots, 85% are operated by pump owners, while 15% are private transporters. Due to this shutdown, the operators have ceased tanker deliveries for fuel transportation, disrupting the fuel supply. Many pumps in the city ran out of fuel during the night, and if the supply does not improve, others may soon follow suit, leading to a citywide fuel shortage.

Dhruv Ruparel, President of the Association, stated that the tender process for fuel transportation is being conducted improperly by petroleum companies at unviable rates. He emphasized that the companies are taking steps without considering all stakeholders. “The Ministry of Petroleum, local administrations, and petroleum companies have been notified of the agitation. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the petroleum companies to ensure the timely delivery of petrol and diesel to the pumps to avoid public inconvenience,” he added.

Ruparel informed that the Association had repeatedly urged the petroleum companies to implement measures to prevent fuel theft, but no action has been taken. Over the past two years, 10 incidents of fuel theft have been reported. In one recent case, police took action under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) a month ago. “Despite the installation of state-of-the-art systems at significant expense to prevent theft, these incidents continue due to neglect by the authorities,” Ruparel said.

The Association has demanded the immediate cancellation of all tenders for fuel transportation, advocating for new tenders with viable rates to ensure safe transportation. They also called for the immediate suspension of negligent officials and for police to investigate the involvement of officers in fuel theft.

Ruparel stated, “Discussions with the petroleum companies on Monday (14th October) did not lead to any solutions. After that, no further discussions were initiated by these companies on Tuesday (15th October). We stand by our demands and will not back down. Petroleum companies will be held responsible if citizens face inconvenience due to fuel shortages.”