Mysore/Mysuru: Alleging that Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Depot at Metagalli is being closed down, over 70 Indian Oil petrol bunk dealers, under the banner of Indian Oil Dealers’ Association, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar and Federation of Mysuru Petroleum Traders, staged a protest in front of the Depot this noon.

The protesting dealers said that the Mysuru Depot supplies fuel and lubricants to the dealers in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu districts, who will now be inconvenienced as the fuel will be supplied from Depots in Bengaluru and Hassan through fuel tankers.

They pointed out that the decision to close the Mysuru Depot, which is in existence for over six decades, is not wise as the transportation cost will increase and also traffic density on the Highways will increase as hundreds of fuel tankers will begin plying on the Highways which may also increase accidents.

The protesting petrol bunk dealers said that such a decision will severely inconvenience not only the dealers but also consumers. Besides, it will take a minimum of seven to 10 hours to transport fuel to petrol bunks located in the above mentioned districts.

The protesting retail outlet dealers said that more than 200 families and their dependents, who are employed in the Depot, will be affected badly due to the closure and shifting of the Depot.

Indian Oil Dealers’ Association, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar, President S.R. Patil, office-bearers Shashikala Nagaraj, M.S. Lokesh, Ranjith Hegde, S.K. Dinesh, Ravishankar, Basavegowda, Srikantaprasad, H.S. Guruswamy and others took part in the protest.