Petrol pump operators in Himachal Pradesh are facing a serious problem — they are being asked to get fresh access permissions and no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for their retail outlets. The demand comes from oil companies, and it has created a difficult situation for dealers across the state.
The trouble is directly linked to the widening and strengthening of highways and the construction of new expressways. According to The Tribune, these infrastructure projects have changed the way traffic moves, and petrol pumps are now caught in the middle of the change.
Petrol Pumps Beneath Flyovers Lose Direct Access
The most critical issue has emerged at locations where flyovers or elevated stretches have been constructed over state or national highways. Several petrol pumps have effectively ended up beneath these elevated structures. The main traffic now moves overhead, and direct access to the outlets has disappeared.
This is not just an inconvenience — it is hitting business hard. When customers cannot easily reach a petrol pump, they simply go elsewhere. The dealers say the loss of direct access has severely affected their daily operations and earnings.
Technical Difficulties in Building Approach Roads
The Himachal Pradesh Petroleum Dealers Association has raised the matter with the authorities. The association's president, Suku, has pointed out that there are technical difficulties in constructing approach roads from the new highways to the existing petrol pumps.
This means even if the dealers want to solve the problem themselves, they face practical hurdles. Building a new approach road is not simple — it requires planning, approvals, and coordination between multiple agencies, including NHAI and the oil companies.
"Citing technical difficulties in constructing approach roads from new highways, Himachal Pradesh Petroleum Dealers Association president Suku..." — The Tribune
What This Means for Petrol Pump Operators
For the dealers, the situation is a double burden. On one hand, they have invested in their businesses and depend on them for their livelihood. On the other hand, they now have to navigate a complex process of obtaining fresh permissions and NOCs — a process that may take time and money.
The oil companies are asking for these documents to ensure that the retail outlets comply with current highway safety and access norms. But the dealers argue that the infrastructure changes were not their doing, and they should not be left to bear the consequences alone.
Our Take: A Coordination Failure That Needs Urgent Fixing
To put it plainly, this is a coordination failure. When highways are widened or flyovers are built, the planning process should account for existing businesses along the route. Petrol pumps are essential services — drivers need them, and the local economy depends on them.
The fact that dealers are only now being asked for fresh NOCs suggests that the issue was not addressed during the planning or construction phase. That is a mistake, and it is now costing small business owners their income.
The authorities — NHAI, oil companies, and the state government — need to sit together and find a practical solution. Either approach roads must be built at public cost, or the dealers should be given clear guidance on how to comply without unnecessary delay. Leaving them in this maze is not acceptable.
For the petrol pump operators of Himachal Pradesh, the message is simple: their concerns are valid, and they deserve a swift resolution before more businesses are pushed to the edge.