Haryana unveils new policy on fuel stations

Concerned over the unscientific and haphazard allocation of fuel station sites by authorities, the state government has now issued a consolidated policy on setting up of retail outlets, fuel filling stations and compressed natural gas (CNG) or petroleum/natural gas (PNG) stations.

The policy includes the aspect of trunk services in 30-metre- and 60-metre-wide green belts as these were also affecting the CNG and PNG stations. It also contains detailed guidelines regarding the size, content, location, land requirement and permissible height of petrol pumps. The consolidated policy was necessitated as there were no guidelines earlier for setting up fuel filling stations along the green belts.

The order issued on June 3 states, “It was observed that trunk services of 30-metre- and 60-metre-wide green belts are also affecting CNG/PNG stations for which no policy was formulated.” The order further jots down a policy for the same, wherein it mentions that the minimum size of a station should be 50m by 30m to accommodate two gas compressors and at least eight dispensers.

The policy will be adopted by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) while carving out sites for fuel filling sites. “This will accommodate more CNG equipment and efficiently cater to vehicles of all sizes. However, in case of recommendation from the gas distribution company for suitability of these sites, the same will be considered on the site area proposed by the company,” clarified the order.

About ten days after Huda announced the construction of ten petrol pumps in Gurgaon, the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) issued guidelines for their construction as per the Indian Road Congress norms.

It has also ordered the cancellation of licences of those fuel filling sites that do not abide by the guidelines. However, Huda is still not aware of the new guidelines issued by the DTCP. “We are not aware of the guidelines yet as we allocate sites for petrol pumps based on the city plan made earlier,” said Praveen Kumar, Huda administrator.