Odisha Bandh: Petrol pumps to remain closed tomorrow

Fuel stations across the state will remain shut tomorrow due to safety concerns following an Odisha Bandh call by Congress and seven other Opposition parties over the death of a girl student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore.

Petrol stations across the state will halt operations from 06:00 AM until 6:00 PM. This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure.

The petrol pump association, which reached a consensus after discussions with governmental officials, aims to reopen the fuelling stations once safety assurances are in place. This 12-hour closure is likely to incur losses exceeding Rs 100 crore for the industry.

The association has disclosed that over 3,000 petrol stations, in addition to three vital depots, will be affected.

“The association has come to a unanimous decision that all the petrol pumps will remain closed from 6 AM till 6 PM. We are sorry for the inconvenience that will be faced by the common people,” informed Sasanka Shekhar Sahu, State President, Petrol Dealer Association.

“If the government agrees to provide safety, then we will try to keep the fuel stations open. But, since the government cannot provide safety, we have decided to shut down all the petrol stations across the state from early morning tomorrow,” he added.