Mumbai, April 6 (IANS) Amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that have strained global petroleum supply chains, the Maharashtra government, in coordination with major Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), on Monday issued a firm assurance of adequate fuel availability across the state.
State authorities and representatives from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) confirmed that stocks of petrol, diesel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) remain sufficient to meet public demand, with supply operations being monitored around the clock to prevent any disruption.
Despite the international pressure on oil markets, the state’s infrastructure is currently operating at full capacity to ensure regular replenishment, said Additional Chief Secretary of the Food and Civil Supply Department Anil Diggikar.
He clarified that there was no need to panic, as the government, in coordination with OMCs, is monitoring the uninterrupted supply of fuel.
Maharashtra is serviced by 24 strategic depots (10 from Indian Oil Corporation, 8 from Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and 6 from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation), catering to approximately 8,126 petrol pumps. OMCs are currently dispatching approximately 18,500 kilolitres of petrol and 40,000 kilolitres of diesel daily.
Average sales from April 1 to 4 (18,605 kilolitres of petrol and 44,484 kilolitres of diesel per day) remain consistent with the average sales figures recorded between January and March 2026, said Umesh Kulkarni, a representative of the OMCs present at the press conference.
State Rationing Controller Chandrakant Dange said that the state government has implemented specific regulatory measures for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to ensure equitable distribution during this period.
Domestic LPG stocks are stable, with deliveries continuing in line with customer bookings. About 23 bottling plants support over 2,229 distributors serving approximately 3.5 crore consumers.
Dange said that a booking interval restriction is currently in place to ensure fair distribution.
“One hundred per cent supply is guaranteed for hospitals, educational institutes, and social services. Semi‑essential industries are currently maintained at supply levels of 20 per cent to 70 per cent. The Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) is now mandatory to verify all registered deliveries.”
Diggikar and Dange said that to combat the supply emergency, the state government issued deemed permissions on March 27, 2026, for pending City Gas Distribution (CGD) pipeline applications. These measures include 24‑hour working windows for entities and the waiving of certain restoration charges to expedite network growth.
They said this will help expedite the completion of the infrastructure for PNG supply to residential colonies. To prevent exploitation during the crisis, District Collectors were instructed on March 8, 2026, to form vigilance teams.
As of today, strict enforcement under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, has led to significant seizures, said Dange.
He further added that the state government has urged authorities to provide 25 per cent more LPG supply to enable 5‑kilogram cylinders for migrants.
–IANS
sj/dan
