IOC plans to set up clean toilets in filling stations, to double outlet strength in 3 years
New Delhi 17-Aug-2015
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ drive in the country, State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the largest oil retailerin India, is mulling setting up clean toilets for their customers - both for the males and females -in almost all its petrol-pump filling stations across the country. Besides, the company is also planning to double its outletstrength across the country to around 50,000 from the existing over 25,000in three years.
“The Government has directed us to offer toilet facilities for the customers in our filling stations. In order to facilitate the public convenience, we have decided to set up clean toilets in almost all outlets across the country by 2018, mostly in the crowded filling stations where we get maximum footfalls. The toilets to be made are meant for both the males and females who can avail this facility with clean and green environment while filling the fuel in the outlets,” a top IOC official said.
When asked about the funds required for the project, he did not reveal the investment details about the project, but said, “It is still in the works and it has yet to be finalised.”
Apart from the public convenience, the oil major is also planning to increase its outlet strength to 50,000 by next three years, focusing more in the rural areas of the country.
“We are also planning to increase our outlet strength to around 50,000, which is around two times of what we have today. We are now operating over 25,000 outlets, out of which more than 6,500 are in the rural belts in India. As we lack the outlet numbers mostly in rural belts, we aim to increase it to beat the competition with our pears,” said the official.
Lauding the Prime Minister’s cleanliness initiative in the country, the IOC Chairman B Ashok said, “Even the Government is encouraging us to set up clean toilets in almost all outlets across the country and we are also covering all our key outlets with such toilets.”
“Every customer should not be deprived of such facilities at any of our filling stations like ATM, toilet facilities and others alike during their visit to our outlets. We expect our revenue will grow at a better pace if we cover these facilities all over India,” Ashok added.
Besides, the oil retailer is also providing automated teller machines (ATM) services to their customers in most of their filling stations. “We have already tied up with State Bank of India (SBI) for providing the ATM services in most of our outlets and we will increase its number soon,” Ashok said.
Recently, the fuel retailer has posted two-and-a-half fold jump in its profit in the first quarter earnings due to inventory gains and fat refining margins. However, sources said that in the near future, the positive growth trend of the company woulddefinitely help spread its wings in all aspects.
“The $5.2 billion-Paradip refinery project in Odisha, which processes the crude at 300,000 barrel per day (bpd), is expected to be fully commissioned soon. With its completion, the company will need more filling stations to cater its customers,” sources said.
“Paradip refinery is expected to mainly cater to the markets in eastern India, currently fed by sourcing fuels from private players and other plants in northern India,” it added.
