Ludhiana: Petrol pump dealers flag ‘irregularities’ in NOC for Bhamian Road fuel outlet

The MC shot off a letter to the DC office, noting that it halted the construction work at the new fuel station on July 11 after receiving a complaint and instructed the builder to submit the construction documents

Petrol pump dealers in the city have alleged violations in the issuance of no objection certificates (NOC) for a new fuel station on Bhamian Road. The Municipal Corporation’s (MC) building branch has already cancelled an NOC issued by it while the district administration has said the process is underway to cancel the certificate it issued.

The dealers said though the MC cancelled its NOC, the concern remains over how the approvals were granted. (Picture only for representational purpose)

The dealers said though the MC cancelled its NOC, the concern remains over how the approvals were granted. According to them, the road adjacent to the proposed outlet measures only 27.5 feet in width, while the minimum required width for setting up a petrol station is 60 feet, as mandated under Clause 4.19(iv) of the Town Planning Wing of the department of local government’s notification dated December 31, 2019.

Reportedly, the NOC, granted on May 26, to the regional general manager of IOCL came under scrutiny after the petrol pump operators, under the banner of the Petrol Pump Dealers Association, Punjab, lodged a complaint, citing permitting a fuel station on such a narrow road poses a serious risk to both traffic movement and public safety.

The MC shot off a letter to the DC office, noting that it halted the construction work at the new fuel station on July 11 after receiving the complaint and instructed the builder to submit the construction documents. The builder subsequently provided the documentation along with no-objection certificates from various departments.

Authorities also reviewed letters issued by the MC to the district controller of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, Ludhiana, and the non-objection certificate provided by the district town planner to the DC. Based on these findings, the MC requested NOC’s cancellation on May 26 that was approved by the civic body commissioner on August 11.

Jatinder Singh, a member of the association, said, “To set up a new petrol pump outlet, dealers need to obtain NOCs from various government departments, including from the MC. Following this, a common NOC is issued by the deputy commissioner’s office.

“It is troubling to note that despite not meeting the parameters, these departments still issued the NOC. It was only after we filed a complaint with the DC office in July that action was taken,” he added.

When contacted, additional deputy commissioner (general) Rakesh Kumar said, “We have received the report from the MC regarding the cancellation of the NOC. The process to cancel the common NOC issued by the DC office is underway as we need time to evaluate the documents.”

Asked about the alleged discrepancies in the NOC issuance, Kumar asserted, “The DC office always issues NOCs after ensuring clearance from the departments concerned. Since the dealers submitted the necessary documents, we issued it. Our current focus is on the cancellation of the NOC.”