Madurai gets its first all-women petrol bunk

Checking tube air pressure, regulating vehicles and changing oil for them using a modern machine, these women are adept in their work after a rigorous month-long training.

One among the women workers, S. Saraswathi, said having worked for many years in bunks along with men, “doing everything here on our own has boosted my self-confidence”.

One of the three supervisors, A. Kaleeswari, said though it felt like a huge task, “we like to face it as a challenge and be skilled in every aspect of running a petrol bunk on our own. It also breaks the notion that this is a man’s job”. A few customers who noticed that it was an all-women fuel outlet even gave words of encouragement, she added.

Speaking of night shifts, the workers said with regular police patrol they felt safe. The support of their families was also notable, they added.

The bunk is also operated by a woman, K. Nithya. “The bunk is a Company-Owned Company-Operated outlet and the initiative to keep it ‘all women’ sprang from the desire to make it to be a role model in society. It is also a step towards empowering women by enhancing their livelihood,” she said.

As the steady stream of customers keep coming, the women get busy coordinating the works among themselves.

We team – MaduraiCity – wish them all to have a success in their journey of life. And we also appreciate the initiative made by BPCL.