Ranchi, Feb. 22: Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has decided to shift its depots from densely populated areas of Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad to safer locations in Khunti and Jasidih.

The proposed depots at Khunti and Jasidih, once ready, would receive fuel from a refinery at Paradeep in Orissa through a pipeline, from where it will be distributed to consumers across the state. The pipeline would automatically cut chances of pilferage.

Right now, the depots are located at Namkum in Ranchi, Burmamines in Jamshedpur and Tikiapara in Dhanbad, from where the fuel is transported to other parts of the state by road. The refineries, on their part, send the fuel by special rail wagons to the depots. The district administrations of Khunti and Deoghar confirmed the shifting.

Deoghar deputy commissioner Mast Ram Meena told The Telegraph that a huge chunk of land had been allotted to IOCL for the project. “The company has taken possession of the same and has even started erecting a boundary wall,” said Meena.

The land at Jasidih is near the railway station, while the Khunti plot is located along National Highway 75E (extension), about a couple of kilometres away from the district headquarters towards Chakradharpur.

Khunti deputy commissioner Puja Singhal Purwar said they have cleared a proposal for about 30 acres of land sought by IOCL.

“The matter has been sent for clearance to the state revenue and agriculture departments. The land situated between Khunti and Murhu belongs to the agriculture department. We are hopeful of a positive response from the government as it involves an ambitious project,” said Purwar.

She added that according to plan, the IOCL would set up a depot, residential quarters and offices, among other establishments, in Khunti.

Meanwhile, local IOCL officials refused to come on record about the proposed shift as they were concerned about issues related to land acquisition, specially in the initial stages of commissioning.

However, they agreed pilferage of costly fuel would be a thing of the past once the pipeline became operational. Moreover, the risk associated with plants located in populated areas would also be reduced.

IOCL is setting up a 15 million tonne per annum refinery at Paradeep in Orissa. The construction of the refinery is in progress and orders for equipment have been placed. About Rs 6000 crore has been already spent by the company on the project, which is likely to be commissioned by March 2012.