After an eight-year hiatus, state-run Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have decided to open over 650 fuel stations across the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Officials said that OMCs, including Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), have invited applications from citizens to participate in bidding for fuel stations in rural and urban areas of J&K and Ladakh, including new highways and unexplored tourist destinations.
“To expedite development works and further accelerate the fast-growing economy of the country, the decision to open new fuel stations was taken,” an official said.
They added that bids have been invited to establish 643 new fuel stations across the Jammu and Kashmir union territory and 34 in UT Ladakh.
“This development comes for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir post August 2019,” sources said, adding, “the last time the expansion of OMCs’ retail network was carried out in 2018.”
