Petrol Pumps to remain shut on October 13th in Visakhapatnam

On account of protests by Visakhapatnam petrol dealers, the petrol bunks around town will remain shut on October 13^th. All petrol bunks in the Visakhapatnam district will shut down from Thurdsday midnight to Friday midnight. This information is given out so that you can be fore-warned and prepared. People are queuing up to fill up their vehicle tanks well before the rush sets in. You would want to do the same.

So what is the cause of the protest? The lack of transparency in pricing of petrol in the country. The dealers allege that consumers and petrol dealers are being hood winked. The crude oil rates on the international markets are dipping while the prices of petrol etc are rising in the country. A hike of Rs.6 has been noticed in petrol prices over the past 3 months. What they are questioning is the basis for this increase.

Across other countries the price is hovering at around Rs.50 while in India not only do the prices change daily, they also vary from state to state. Apart from this the government has hiked the license fee recovery at Rs.100. The dealers grude and seeking a capping of this at 5 to 10 percent. A nationwide discussion around petrol dealers has developed and unhappiness is rampant. Lack of clarity is adding to the woes.

The issue of bringing petrol and diesel under the purview of GST is also being brought forward. A warning has been issued for paying heed to the protest of the petrol dealers. If not, they have mentioned going on indefinite strike from October 27^th onwards.