Bhubaneswar, Sept. 1: Naresh Moharana, an insurance executive, had a harrowing experience the other night when he visited a petrol pump near Lakshmisagar flyover to get the tyre pressure of his four-wheeler checked.

The 57-year-old Rasulgarh resident said: "One of the tyres of my car was low on pressure. But, the fuel station refused to offer me the mandatory free air service." The petrol pump, Moharana said, had a tyre-retreading shop nearby that charged Rs 5 and Rs 10 for air pressure in two-wheelers and four-wheelers, respectively. "As it was night, the shop was closed and my job remained undone."

Moharana is not the sole customer, who got deprived of the mandatory free services at petrol pumps. Instead the city is dotted with several such fuel stations that do not provide the free services as well as basic amenities such as checking air pressure, providing first aid or making arrangements of drinking water and illumination.

There are around 70 petrol pumps in Bhubaneswar and its outskirts, whereas the free essential services are provided in almost 35 fuel stations.

When confronted, an employee of that filling station said: "Customers generally see whether they are getting the required quantity of fuel from us. Who is bothered about the free services?"

The retail outlet dealer, however, should bother about such services as those are mandated in the Petroleum Rules, 1976.

"If one is lucky, he can get his vehicle's tyre pressure checked at the fuel stations. Else, it all depends on the whims and fancies of the retail outlet employees," said Saheed Nagar resident Manmohan Samal. Such attitude, however, again goes against the oil marketing companies' directives, which say a retail outlet dealer should ensure prompt service and courteous behaviour at all times.

Bharat Petroleum's senior manager (business and network planning) Suresh Sahajwani said all fuel stations were mandated to provide certain free services to customers and they should adhere to the directives. "Oil marketing companies regularly run a check to ensure that the retail outlet dealer provides the basic services to their customers," he said.

But, such "check" seemingly fails to change the poor scenario at the filling stations that do not abide by the service guidelines. Poor condition of toilets, absence of suggestion or complaint book, telephone facilities and failure to display the holiday notice beforehand are some of the violations of the guidelines that are plaguing services at petrol pumps.

Samardeep Singh, another local resident, said he had to face a tough time once on the Cuttack-Puri road when the fuel station, where he had stopped to get his vehicle tank filled, did not have a toilet. "My wife and daughter needed to use the toilet. However, the petrol pump did not have one. Though we approached a neighbouring filling station, but only to find a very dirty toilet," he said.

On this, the owner of a petrol pump along the same road, Prafulla Samal, said: "Lack of manpower is the major reason behind lack of the mandatory essential services at fuel stations."

"The employees at a petrol pump near Vani Vihar simply ignored my request for a complaint book. I had a tough time at the place due to faulty billing, but the staff members simply shooed me away. When I tried to contact the owner, he said complaint books were not supposed be kept at filling stations," said Rasulgarh resident Sampurna Mohapatra.

Utkal Petroleum Dealers' Association general secretary Sanjay Lath, however, insisted on the free services.

"It is wrong on part of the retail outlet dealers not to provide such services free of cost to the customers," he said and assured the customers of stringent action within three days against the faulty dealer once he receives any such complaints.

With regard to Moharana's bitter experience, Lath said that since petrol pumps used electricity, there could be no excuse for them not to have free air facility for customers.

He also said the association was aware of inconveniences the customers were facing at fuel stations and a drive would shortly be launched to crack down on the errant petrol pump owners. "Some petrol pump owners never take their customers for granted. Although the business is a highly profitable one, drawing customers' faith in service is of utmost importance," he said.