Petrol sales have been suspended at 2,573 retail fuel outlets as the government investigates suspected contamination and complaints that fuel problems have affected vehicles. The action is being carried out while the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and state-owned oil companies conduct detailed checks across the fuel supply system.
The investigation is focused on the possibility that water entering underground petrol storage tanks may be causing contamination. The issue has triggered concern across the country, prompting authorities and oil companies to widen monitoring beyond individual service stations.
Outlets affected by the action
Indian Oil Corporation has the highest number of outlets where petrol sales have been stopped, with 1,257 locations. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation follows with 915, while Bharat Petroleum Corporation accounts for 401 affected outlets.
The inspections cover several parts of the fuel network:
- Retail fuel outlets
- Underground storage tanks
- Tankers
- Ethanol storage
Government testing guidelines call for underground storage tanks at several petrol stations to be checked between 8 and 12 times a day. Monitoring systems identified during these inspections are being repaired or replaced where required.
Testing moves across the distribution chain
Quality checks are not limited to petrol pumps. Oil marketing companies have expanded testing across the wider distribution system, including ethanol tankers, storage tanks, depots and terminals.
The broader checks are intended to identify possible contamination points as fuel moves through the network. The action follows complaints about fuel quality and vehicle faults, although the supplied material does not specify how many complaints were received or how many vehicles were affected.
Automobile companies examine fuel quality
Vehicle manufacturers are also monitoring the issue. Industry testing included more than 250 fuel samples collected from 21 states and union territories.
Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra have conducted fuel-quality checks as part of the industry’s scrutiny. The supplied material does not provide the results of those checks or identify any specific outlet as the confirmed source of contamination.
The investigation therefore extends from retail stations to storage and transport infrastructure, with petrol sales remaining suspended at the outlets covered by the government action.
