'Adequate supplies of fuel in state': Maharashtra govt allays fear of citizens

Mumbai: Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, the Maharashtra government on Monday assured adequate stock of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG cylinders and urged people not to panic-buy petroleum products.

“There are adequate stocks of petrol, diesel and LPG in the state, and supply operations are being closely monitored and maintained without disruption,” officials said in a detailed briefing.

According to the officials, the State Government and Oil Marketing Companies — Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited — through State Level Coordinator (SLC) are constantly monitoring the situation.

There are 24 fuel depots across Maharashtra catering to over 8,100 petrol pumps. Daily dispatches stand at approximately 18,500 kilolitres of petrol and 40,000 kilolitres of diesel. Average consumption between April 1 and 4 remained consistent with earlier months, indicating no abnormal surge in demand.

Officials said retail outlets are being regularly replenished and that supply chains remain intact despite global pressures.

Domestic LPG supply also remains stable, supported by 23 bottling plants serving around 2,229 distributors and nearly 3.5 crore consumers. Daily delivery of LPG refills averages around 5.82 lakh cylinders, comparable to the January–March average.

A booking interval regulation has been introduced to ensure equitable distribution. Consumers are encouraged to use digital booking platforms, which now account for about 95% of transactions. The Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system has been made mandatory to ensure secure delivery.

For commercial LPG, priority allocation continues for essential services such as hospitals, educational institutions, and welfare facilities, with phased supply extended to other sectors including industry and hospitality.

To address long-term energy needs, the state has expedited the expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) networks. Permissions for pipeline projects have been fast-tracked, with over 42 lakh connections already in place and approximately 73,000 added in the past month.

The government has intensified enforcement against hoarding and black marketing under the Essential Commodities Act. As of April 6, over 14,000 inspections have been conducted, resulting in multiple seizures, 53 FIRs and 36 arrests.