Fuel Panic Triggers Queues, Officials Assure Supply
Civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated there was “no shortage of any petroleum product in the state,” adding that temporary ‘no stock’ boards at some pumps were due to delayed tanker arrivals, not a lack of fuel."
Hyderabad: Queues stretched across Hyderabad for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as rumours of a fuel shortage pushed motorists to petrol pumps. Police were deployed with barricades at several outlets even as officials insisted supplies remained normal.
“We have stock. This is not a concern from our end. Tankers are arriving and refuelling is underway, but people are panicking and rushing to pumps,” said Anand, manager at a Nanakramguda outlet, where police presence and barricades were maintained throughout the day.
Similar scenes unfolded across neighbourhoods from afternoon into peak hours. Lines of vehicles ran three to four rows deep, slowing traffic on adjoining roads. Uppal, a Swiggy delivery worker waiting at Nanakramguda, said he had been in line for over half an hour and had stopped taking orders. “There were at least 70 to 100 bikes ahead of me, and that was not even peak hour,” he said.
Traffic pressure intensified later in the day. Ravi Dikshit, an IT professional, described conditions as near gridlock. “A large portion of the road was taken over. It was difficult to move even on a bike,” he said, adding that the usual CNG queue had spilled into multiple lines on the main road. Police officers were stationed at the site, and Dikshit chose to skip refuelling altogether.
Some motorists drove towards highways to avoid congestion at city pumps. Conditions eased slightly in the evening, though queues that had stretched four lines deep reduced only to two. Even as tankers arrived, many continued to wait.
Complaints also surfaced about unsafe practices. A commuter in Musheerabad said some people bypassed queues and filled fuel in water cans. “They came with big containers and did not stand in line. I saw one being filled to at least half,” he said.
Officials moved to address both panic and violations. Police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar warned of strict action against those spreading misinformation and against the sale of fuel in bottles or cans. “We are surveilling social media… such individuals will be dealt with severely,” he said.
Civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated there was “no shortage of any petroleum product in the state,” adding that temporary ‘no stock’ boards at some pumps were due to delayed tanker arrivals, not a lack of fuel.
