ROs facing operational challenges
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 05 2026: Petrol pumps/retail outlets in Manipur continue to face significant operational challenges due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

While oil marketing companies have issued guidelines for the distribution of petrol and diesel to consumers as the crisis has severely disrupted global oil supplies, adhering to these guidelines, however, has proven difficult for local petrol pumps/retail outlets.

Notably, companies such as IOCL, BPCL, Hindustan Petroleum, and Narayan Energy have been supplying fuel to the State.

Even though global crude oil prices have risen since April 2022, reports indicated that diesel and petrol prices in the country have remained stable.

Well-placed sources noted that maintaining domestic petrol and diesel prices has resulted in losses for the country's oil marketing companies.

They stated that oil companies incur a loss of approximately Rs 18 per liter on petrol and around Rs 35 per liter on diesel, respiting in an estimated daily loss of about Rs 1,600 crore.

As a result, oil marketing companies are closely monitoring the sale of petrol and diesel, especially in border States like Manipur, to prevent fuel from being sold to other countries.

The sources stated that oil marketing companies have issued instructions to limit fuel sales to no more than last year's levels.

For instance, they noted that oil companies warned they would halt further fuel supplies if any retail outlet sold more fuel this April than in April of the previous year.

They added that some retail outlets have already had their fuel supplies stopped for exceeding these limits.

This strict monitoring has often led to conflicts between oil marketing companies and retail outlets/petrol pumps.

According to the sources, some retail outlets have even been forced to close temporarily.

It is reported that oil marketing companies are supplying fuel only in quantities required for the State.

The sources added that retail outlets are also no longer allowed to purchase fuel on credit, making it difficult for them to operate smoothly.

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