The Indian oil regulator has asked fuel retail companies to check all petrol pumps across the country for safety risks. This decision comes after a tragic accident on May 13, when a huge billboard fell on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, killing 17 people and injuring 75 others.
On December 6, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) formed a committee to look into what caused this incident. While they haven’t shared the committee’s findings yet, they ordered all fuel retailers to quickly review safety plans for their stations.
Retailers must examine not just the petrol pumps themselves but also anything nearby—like billboards, hoardings, and structures—that could be dangerous. They need to create and follow a plan to fix any risks they find. This could mean removing or strengthening unsafe signs and structures.
Every petrol station in India must follow strict safety rules, and if they don’t, they have to provide a detailed plan outlining how they will fix the issues, including specific timelines for their actions.
There are currently over 92,000 petrol pumps in India, many of which have large advertising boards. Now, safety checks for these billboards and signs are more important than ever to keep customers safe.