The Union Government has officially barred industrial, commercial, and institutional users from purchasing petrol and diesel at retail fuel stations. Issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas under a temporary 90-day regulation order, this policy forces heavy commercial buyers to source their requirements strictly through designated bulk supply channels. Additionally, the directive clamps down on retail diesel sales by capping purchases at 200 litres per customer or vehicle per day, mandating that the fuel can only be dispensed directly into vehicle tanks or specialized, government-approved containers with a strict ban on resale.
This decisive regulatory intervention was triggered by an abnormal surge in demand at local petrol pumps, which threatened to disrupt fuel availability for ordinary citizens. A massive price disparity had recently emerged because state-owned oil marketing companies deliberately insulated retail consumers from global price spikes caused by volatile geopolitical tensions in West Asia. For perspective, retail diesel in Delhi sits at ₹95.20 per litre, whereas market-linked bulk procurement rates have climbed to ₹134.50 per litre. This steep differential incentivized large-scale commercial entities, such as factory operators and telecom tower firms, to quietly migrate their buying to ordinary retail stations to cut operational costs.
By aggressively halting this migration, the Centre aims to prevent localized fuel shortages, eliminate hoarding, and ensure the equitable distribution of subsidized fuel to the general public. Enforcement authority has been granted to public-sector oil firms, while state administrations have been ordered to invoke the Essential Commodities Act to penalize any unauthorized fuel diversion or black-marketing malpractices.