Indian Oil Corporation starts home delivery service of diesel

If one can order everything from groceries to electronics with the click of a button, then why should fuel remain far? That perhaps is the question that the authorities at Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) mulled over before deciding to offer the same service to diesel-vehicle owners. IOC is now going to deliver diesel at the doorstep of Pune residents. The Twitter handle of IOC tweeted an image of the tanker that will be used to deliver diesel and also mentioned that this novel home-delivery service is PESO or Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation approved.

The tanker, fitted with a fuel dispenser is Fuel @ Doorstep.

Another milestone in customer convenience #FuelAtDoorstep. IndianOil launches FIRST OF ITS KIND PESO APPROVED Mobile dispenser for Door Delivery of Diesel to its esteemed customers at Pune. pic.twitter.com/7xB23at2Dj

- Indian Oil Corp Ltd (@IndianOilcl) March 16, 2018

In April last year, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said that the government was looking at options to home deliver petrol and diesel to customers, which will also ease the task of waiting in long queues at fuel stations. However, as of now, this service has been started only for diesel and not for petrol due to its inflammable properties, reiterating IOC Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Singh's statement about how diesel is safer to handle.

According to a report by Financial Express, companies are working with PESO to make home delivery of petrol feasible, as mentioned by Sanjiv Singh.

Although an intriguing initiative, IOC's home delivery of diesel is not the first of its kind. In June 2017, Bengaluru-based startup ANB fuels started a similar service but were stopped by PESO that cited the dangers of transporting fuel, referring to it as unsafe practice.

However, it is still unclear how customers are going to order or pre-order fuel as of now. Moreover details like if there is a limit to how much can be ordered or if there will be a premium charge levied on the fee are still not clear.