Dealers seek revision of fuel transport tenders after stricter PNGRB rules

Fuel dealers are responsible for carrying fuel to retail outlets on tankers leased from OMCs

Petrol pump dealers have called for renegotiation of the existing tenders and sought more time to implement the new and stringent guidelines put in place by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) for the transportation of fuel by road.

 

PNGRB has asked fuel carrying entities to report on the implementation of the guidelines within a month.

 

The guidelines were announced in the wake of a major accident in December when a tanker carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) crashed near Jaipur claiming 20 lives. These include biometric attendance for tanker or lorry crews, alternative drivers, and strict adherence to safe work hours and conditions.

 

Fuel tankers or lorries are operated by fuel dealers, who lease them from oil marketing companies (OMCs). Dealers bid for tenders with 3 to 5 years’ validity to transport fuel from fuel depots to retail outlets. India has upwards of 90,000 petrol pumps, reflecting a nearly 40 per cent increase over the past five years.

 

“We don both the roles of dealers and transporters. We have always taken all precautions when it comes to public safety, and do the same going forward. We abide by the transport discipline guidelines mandated by the OMCs. But the burden can’t be ours only. The tenders will have to be renegotiated if the burden of compliance rises,” All India Petrol Dealers Association (AIPDA) President Ajay Bansal said.

 

Nationwide, 80 per cent of fuel delivered to retail outlets is transported by dealers, while the balance is delivered by contractors. “However, the ban on night driving of fuel tankers (between 11 PM and 6 AM) is not expected to affect the delivery of fuel at petrol pumps since deliveries are received during daytime in almost all states,” Shamal Pal Choudhury, a senior functionary of North Bengal Petrol Dealers Association said.

 

“All fuel depots close down in the evening. So, transporting fuel to retail outlets is not possible. However, such guidelines will also affect certain transportation activities being undertaken by the OMCs as well,” Delhi Petrol Dealers Association Nishchal Singhania said.

 

In its guidelines released on Monday, PNGRB has called for in-transit surveillance of trucks and lorries to be maintained and all deviations investigated for possible causes.

 

It also wants fuel transporters to ensure details of tanker crews are maintained on invoice, and cross checked at the dealer’s end.

 

“Entities should develop a Biometric/APP based attendance system of tank lorry crew at loading or unloading location and dealership to ensure presence of authorised crew during the entire journey. To address concerns of driver or crew fatigue, entities should take necessary steps such as identifying suitable halts along the truck or lorry route, to enable adequate rest and refreshment,” the guidelines say.

 

Also, no motor transport worker shall be allowed to work for more than eight hours in a day and forty-eight hours in a week. They will also have to be provided a rest interval of at least half an hour after every five hours of work. “Under no circumstances the period of work shall exceed five hours a stretch,” the guidelines say.

 

OMCs are confident of meeting the requirements on their end.

 

“Our workforce operates under optimal conditions. For example, the minimum of nine consecutive hours between duty periods that have been mandated under the new guidelines are already followed by us,” an IOCL official said.