Reliance petrol pumps and A1 Plazas

A Reliance A1 Plaza

Any motorist who is fond of long drives and has driven in India along with his family must have experienced the woefully inadequate toilet facilities along the Indian highways. While for Indian men the whole country is one large open toilet, women find long drives problematic. Very few dhabas (roadside eateries) have toilets. All new petrol pumps of PSU oil companies (like HPCL, BPCL, IOL, etc.) do have toilets but usually they are in such a horrible condition that one feels like throwing up.

In this scenario, the Reliance petrol pumps have arrived like a breath of fresh air. Their toilets are usually clean, always have water and the flushes actually work. They even have liquid soap dispensers! Furthermore, all Reliance petrol pumps have water coolers fitted with Aquaguard water purification systems.

My family and I have been using the Reliance petrol pumps (BTW, only for the toilet and drinking water facilities; the fuel, especially diesel, is much costlier) ever since they started coming up along the highways. Each and every Reliance petrol pump has an identical design / layout and that makes things even more convenient for the motorist.

Of late, some of the bigger Reliance petrol pumps along the highways are offering the additional convenience of ‘A1 Plaza’ which serve food as well. Apart from a large dining hall, A1 Plazas have family dining rooms too. They also have TV's, conference rooms with digital projection facilities, bigger toilets and facilities for taking bath.

Sales counter inside A1 Plaza

My wife and I always look out for Reliance A1 Plazas during our long drives -- especially at meal times. They offer a decent choice of food – both veg and non-veg. Prices are quite reasonable. Cold drinks, ice creams, snacks, etc., are also available.

An open kitchen inside A1 Plaza

A poster inside A1 Plaza