Pune: With surge in fuel demand during Diwali, petrol dealers in Pune have flagged supply disruptions at retail outlets of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), warning that several pumps could run dry if pending fuel loads are not cleared in time.The Petrol Dealers Association Pune (PDAP) issued two separate communications on Saturday raising concerns.In case of BPCL, the association said delayed and restricted supplies, coupled with early depot closures and inadequate loading arrangements, were affecting several dealers.“It is unacceptable that dealers who have deposited funds are struggling to get fuel during Diwali. With upcoming bank holidays and festive closures, it is absolutely essential that BPCL depots remain operational on Sundays and maintain uninterrupted loading operations,” said Dhruv Ruparel, president of PDAP.The association said pending indents must be cleared and adequate supplies of motor spirit (MS) and high-speed diesel (HSD) ensured. It also demanded extended depot timings and Sunday operations at Pune depots until all pending indents were cleared.Separately, PDAP raised concerns over HPCL blocking product loads of several dealers despite payments being made through SBI eDFS and SBI banking portals. According to the association, the payments were not reflecting in HPCL’s accounts due to banking or internal reconciliation delays, even though dealers had submitted transaction proofs to the concerned officials.“Once verifiable transaction proofs are submitted, HPCL must act responsibly and ensure that loads are released without delay. Dealers cannot be made to suffer for internal system or banking delays, particularly during a major festival,” Ruparel said.PDAP has escalated the HPCL issue to the company’s chairperson, the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas, and Union minister of state Murlidhar Mohol, seeking immediate intervention for the release of eligible fuel loads against verified payment proofs.The association has also sought Sunday operations at Pune depots to clear pending indents and prevent further dry-outs. It warned that supply disruptions could inconvenience consumers and affect dealers’ credibility, particularly during the festive rush.A BPCL spokesperson told TOI, “Our operations across all locations continue to remain normal, with product supplies and dispatches proceeding smoothly without any hindrance. In view of the festive season and the resulting surge in demand, we have extended operating hours at our supply location at Haveli, to ensure seamless supplies and effectively cater to the additional demand.”In a statement issued on Saturday, HPCL termed reports about alleged disruption in fuel supplies at its Pune outlets as “misleading”. The company said its Loni terminal in Pune dispatched 1,246 kilolitres (KL) of motor spirit (MS) and 2,114kl of high-speed diesel (HSD) to dealers on Nov 6. On Nov 7, until noon, a further 870kl of MS and 1,360kl of HSD had been dispatched.HPCL said its outlets across Pune district had approximately 10,200 KL of fuel stock as of noon on November 7, equivalent to nearly four days of sales. The company maintained that its outlets were adequately supplied and said there was no cause for panic. It reiterated its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted fuel availability and meeting the requirements of motorists.
