Have you ever been hoodwinked at petrol bunks by the attendants? Working in pairs usually, they talk of this and that and distract you.
Much later you realise your fuel tank isn’t full enough but you ended up paying more.
R. Guru, a resident of Valsaravakkam, said he fell for one such ploy a few weeks ago.
“While one attendant said my petrol tank was not open, the other one took the cash of Rs.1,500. But by the time I tried opening the tank again, the attendant said he had filled for petrol for Rs. 200. I took the issue to the manager who, thankfully, set things right,” he said.
A manager at a fuel bunk in south Chennai said, following complaints from customers, they had replaced several of their staff members. “We can only hope they are honest when we hire new people. We are, however, keeping a close watch on all our employees,” he said.
The owner of another retail outlet said it was usually a small percentage of staff that indulged in such wrong-doing.
“Fuel dispensers have become tamper-proof. Fuel bunks and oil companies know exactly when the nozzle is taken out of the pump. But customers too must check the petrol/diesel meter before filling fuel and not pay while fuelling is on. Also, they must insist on computerised bills,” he said.
An official of Indian Oil Corporation Limited said customers must pay attention when they go to fuel bunks.
“Most people keep talking on the phone and don’t bother to look at the fuel meter. If there is an issue, customers should record them in the complaints book at the bunk. Alternatively, they can call up the sales officer, whose number is displayed prominently in all outlets. They can also lodge a complaint on our website,” said the official.
There are over 500 retail fuel outlets in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram.
