Petrol pump dealers urge state-run OMCs for financial support as sales plummet due to lockdown

MUMBAI: India’s petrol pump dealers have asked state-run oilNSE -2.80 % marketing companies for a financial relief package as they struggle with sales volume which has plummeted almost to a tenth since the nationwide lockdown was announced to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, even as costs continue to be high.

India’s fuel consumption has been severely hit by the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the pandemic as economic activities have been halted and public movement has been restricted. In March alone, consumption fell 18% to 16,083 thousand tons from the same period a year ago.