Hyderabad: Try not buy petrol in multiples of Rs 50, say legal metrology officials. The meter reading at the petrol pump might show Rs 50 but you could well be getting petrol worth Rs 45 or even less. The programming of the meters is faulty, say many customers. Mr Saurav Kumar, an IT professional from Dell, said, “I have faced this situation many times when the reading shows Rs 50 but the petrol filled is lesser. I know the mileage my vehicle gives and for Rs 50, it should have been much more.”
He said it was not the same in all petrol pumps. “There are frequent complaints about a petrol pump in Alwal and therefore my friend and I always drive that extra mile to a bunk near Rythu Bazaar.” A petrol pump worker at Karkhana said, “The rates are set on our machines automatically and we fill the petrol after entering the amount specified by the customer. There are only few manual pumps now so unless technology cannot be trusted, this is not possible.”
However legal metrology officials say that it is the technology that is helping petrol pump owners. In some pumps, though the fuel filling stops, the meter continues to run. As most customers are busy looking at the meter rather than the spout of the pipe, the cheating becomes easy.
Mr Siddarth Kumar, a legal metrology official, told this newspaper, “We have also been getting a lot of complaints saying that correct change is not being tendered to customers, especially when they have to get back a rupee or so. “We will try to get to the root of the problem. We urge every customer to complain against such unfair practices instead of merely switching petrol pumps.”
With stringent checks on adulterated fuel, a lot of pumps have been notified to up their quality of fuel. Petrol bunks are also checked regarding the rate being charged and the quantity delivered for a litre. For small sums like Rs 50, one does not get a full litre and hence it skips the eye in most inspections. “If we receive a complaint, we will surely act on it,” said Mr Kumar.
A tricky trickle
- While filling fuel, ensure that the quoted amount is not a round figure i.e. Rs 500, Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000.
- In some pumps, though the fuel filling stops, the meter continues to run. Most clients are busy looking at the meter rather than the spout of the pipe.
- The meter will show that a certain amount of petrol has been pumped out, but that amount hasn’t reached your tank —it is still in the pipe, and it goes back into the pump.
