Pilot for home delivery of diesel likely to start soon
New Delhi   09-Feb-2018


Diesel is considered less hazardous than petrol once taken out of the licenced area for dispensing fuel into motor vehicles.

Almost a year after petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted that the ministry of petroleum and natural was exploring ways for home delivery of motor fuels, a pilot is expected to be started soon as required permissions are in place. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), which works under the department of industrial policy and promotion, has given permission to Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to undertake the trial. “We expect to start (home delivery) soon as it (PESO) has given a very select licence for a particular location,” said IOC chairman Sanjiv Singh. The largest fuel retailer of the country is leading the project on behalf of other two oil marketing companies (OMCs) — Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation. PESO has given clearance to conduct a pilot at one location for home delivery of diesel only. “We have still not decided the location though. However based on the feedback (post the pilot being conducted), we will proceed further,” added Singh. Diesel is considered less hazardous than petrol once taken out of the licenced area for dispensing fuel into motor vehicles.

Pradhan had announced the idea of home delivery of fuel in April 2017. Liquefied petroleum gas and piped natural gas currently are delivered to households apart from fuel retail outlets selling lubricants and diesel for agricultural use in containers. Also, kerosene is sold in containers to eligible beneficiaries at government fair price shops. Around 3.5 crore transactions for buying diesel and petrol take place across petrol pumps in the country every day.

As reported by FE in September 2017, a design for the transportation vehicle to dispense fuel was frozen by IOC in consultation with PESO, though permission for distribution was still to be obtained. “We have to manufacture the vehicle for this purpose, which is under process. We expect the vehicle to be ready in the next six weeks,” said Singh, adding that the pilot is expected to start soon after. Under current rules, licence for transport or storage of petroleum Class B (non-bulk) in quantity not exceeding 2,500 litres and in receptacle not exceeding 1,000 litres is not required.

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