Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has proposed a plan to build cinema theatres at its highway fuel stations. The pilot project is proposed to be carried out at two sites in Gujarat.

The company has joined hands with Cinemata, a film distribution unit of Sony Entertainment Television, to source the films. Each cinema hall is proposed to have a seating capacity of 150-200 people.

General Manager (Highway Retailing), Keshav Shenoy, told Business Line that the company's move will bring entertainment to highway customers and would also fetch non-fuel revenues. He also said that the people from nearby villages would be able to see the films on the day of release.

"Due to the digital format, the producer of the film can track the viewership of the films. The format will also prevent piracy of the film," remarked Shenoy.

In the initial stages, BPCL plans to set up the cinema halls in fuel outlets with 3.5-5 acres of space. The article stated that the market study for the project was carried out by the Indian School of Petroleum, Dehradun.

Shenoy also remarked that if the venture was successful, approximately 300 fuel outlets would house such cinema theatres by 2010.

Oil refining companies are now increasingly focussing on non-fuel businesses such as shopping malls and restaurants at their fuel stations for increasing their revenues. Recently, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and the Future Group had signed a cooperation memorandum for setting up fuel stations at Future Group malls and food bazaars at the IOC fuel station.