BHOPAL: Petrol and diesel dealers, especially in the bordering districts of Madhya Pradesh are feeling the pinch as sales are down up to 70% due to higher tax and price on fuel in MP. Taking advantage of the high prices of petrol and diesel in MP, petrol pump owners in the bordering districts have started putting up hoardings to attract truckers and tourists to refill before entering MP.
Hoarding at pumps across UP border say “diesel MP se 7 Rupay sastaa”, while at Rajasthan border they said, “diesel MP se 5 rupay sastaa”.

Sale of the petrol and diesel at the pumps in the bordering districts of the state have dropped down from up to 75% depending on the distance of fuel station from the one located across the border.

Districts falling in Bundelkhand region bordering Madhya Pradesh – from Lalitpur, Jhansi to Banda, a large number of hoardings have come up since the last hike in the fuel effected by the Centre in January end. In case a truck operator wants to cross the length of Madhya Pradesh, he would ensure that his truck is refueled before entering the state.

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Pankaj Rawat, owner of a fuel station 7 kms away from a petrol pump in Lalitpur said, “Even if I want to travel to Bhopal or before leaving for long distance, I get diesel for my vehicles from the nearest petrol pump in UP. Diesel is Rs 7 cheaper in Lalitpur while there is a difference of Rs 6 in the rates of petrol.”

Rupinder Singh, who owns a petrol pump on Maharashtra border in Burhanpur said, “the sale has gone down 75%. Even the pumps at Indore feel the pinch. After the hoardings were put up, sale at my fuel station has gone down drastically by 40%”, he said.

The land-locked Madhya Pradesh shares its border with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Besides UP, diesel is cheaper by Rs 4 in Rajasthan and Maharashtra and Rs 3 in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Similarly, petrol is cheap by Rs 6 to Rs 3 in these neighbouring states.

In fact, the fuel is costliest in the country in Madhya Pradesh.