The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Branded fuels are no better, say motorists

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Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Branded fuels are no better, say motorists

Abhijit Dev Kumar

‘Additives are mixed with normal fuel and sold at higher prices by oil firms’

A file photo

Hard hit: Branded fuel is being forced on people by oil dealers leaving them no choice but to shell out more money. —

Hyderabad: Looks like the concept of super fuel or branded fuel has not gone down well with Hyderabadis. With most oil companies selling branded petrol and diesel at higher price, motorists say these fuels do not work wonders as the companies claim.

Rather often, motorists are tempted to fill their tanks with branded fuel that boasts of increasing the vehicle’s performance.

Prices of such fuels are a bit high when compared to normal petrol or diesel. As against the rate of Rs. 56.65 for ordinary petrol, branded one is being sold at Rs. 60.66 while for branded diesel it is Rs. 40.50 as against Rs. 38.25.“Some additives mixed with normal fuel and are being sold separately by oil companies with higher prices and fancy names.

The ground reality is, common man cannot afford to shell out more money to buy such fuel”, says G. Niranjan, general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, who has earlier made a representation to the government complaining about the sale of branded fuel.

But of late, oil dealers have been forcing branded fuel on the consumers. With this, consumers have no other way than to shell out more money.“Most of the time, dealers display a ‘No stock’ sign for regular fuel forcing the commuters either to drive down to another bunk or to buy what is available.

Sales down

When one looks at consumption of branded fuel, the sales too have been going down for a month as motorists are now aware that such fuels do not work wonders,” adds Mr. Niranjan.

“The stock depends on supplies from the company. Sometimes, the companies don’t have appropriate supplies and the dealers have no choice but to sell what is available,” says T.C. Goel, secretary of Greater Hyderabad Petrol and Diesel Dealers’ Association. But for common man, it boils down to pricing and what they get out of the product. “My bike does not respond to super fuels.

I feel it is better to buy the normal unleaded petrol rather than going for petrol that promises performance and mileage,” says P. Simon Abhishek, employee of HSBC who travels almost 50 km a day.

No evidence

“When it comes to branded petrol, customers do not know what is being mixed in it.

Moreover, there have been no prominent evidences of increased performance by the use of branded fuels,” says P. Manmohan, employee of a motor company.

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