Monitoring the fuel stock at depots is the biggest task for transport officials. Many a time, officials enter the wrong numbers in the fuel log book and then scratch their head at the end of the month when there is a mismatch.
This situation is the same in all transport cooperatives in the country. So, KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) has come up with a new solution for the issue by introducing a fuel automation system for all bus depots in Karnataka state.
This initiative will be the first in the country with full integration at KSRTC depots. Technology is being used to make the life of officials simple. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has provided state-of-the-art automation systems, which enable transparent and real-time monitoring of performance of each depot, drivers and vehicles.
A KSRTC official said, “This system will be more helpful for our workers and officials in maintaining fuel stock in a right manner. We have provided a tag system for each bus and driver. Every time a driver comes in for fuel, the driver and fuel operator have to swipe the tag on the instrument which is placed on the fuel tank. Only then, the fuel gun will flow. If there is any mismatch, the fuel gun will not operate.”
All KSRTC did was sever its 55-year-old relationship with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and start purchasing fuel in the open market. KSRTC’s decision, which could well set a precedent for other states to follow, has resulted in a savings of Rs 57 crore from this fuel automation system. This new system will be more helpful in fuelling, with each vehicle and driver being monitored, apart from the stock inventory in the underground tank.
“All these days we used to check the stock in the underground tank by dipping the scale into the tank. But now that will be completely monitored by the system itself.
Many fuel operators are old and sometimes they make wrong entries in the fuel log book. To solve that issue, we worked overtime,” an official explained. Speaking to Mirror, KSRTC MD Rajender Kumar Kataria said, “As per the agreement, we are spending nothing on this automation system. BPCL is footing the bill of Rs. 20 lakh for each depot. Thereby, I save Rs. 30 crore to Rs. 40 crore itself.”
