Panic buying sees long queues at petrol pumps despite government assurances amid the US-Iran war

BENGALURU/AHMEDABAD/LUCKNOW/PANAJI: scare purchasing of fire triggered long queues exterior petrol pumps crossways several states, with some outlets resorting to rationing, amid concerns over supplies linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis. The central government, however, said on Thursday that India has about 60 days of fuel stock cover and dismissed reports of shortages as a “deliberate misinformation campaign” aimed at triggering panic buying.The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a statement, said, “Nearly two months of steady supply is available for every Indian citizen, regardless of what happens globally. Any representation that India’s reserves are depleted or insufficient should be dismissed with the disdain it deserves.”In Gujarat, long queues were reported from cities such as Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Gandhinagar, with the state government saying fuel sales have surged four to five times since Monday. “The fuel sales have increased by four to five times due to panic buying. We want to assure people that there is enough fuel supply and it is being continued round the clock,” the government said in a statement on Thursday.Some fuel pump owners said they had capped sales at ₹200 for two-wheelers and ₹2,000 for four-wheelers. “We have no option as people are hoarding fuel. Many people from villages are coming to buy fuel in huge quantities,” said a fuel pump owner in Surat, describing scenes of people filling cans with petrol and diesel.As a result of panic buying, some filling stations in Surat and Ahmedabad shut temporarily after running out of stock. Dealers appealed to people not to panic. On Wednesday, police booked Gopal Chudasama, president of the Rajkot Petrol and Diesel Dealers Association, for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media about a fuel shortage.In Kashmir, a heavy rush was reported at petrol pumps across Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, with people queuing up with vehicles, cans and bottles, leading to serpentine lines.Several fuel stations shut after running dry. “I had to wait over an hour for my turn as there was a huge rush. But I finally managed to fill petrol in my car,” said Owais Ahmad from Srinagar. A petrol pump owner in Ganderbal district said people were “unnecessarily creating panic”, forcing many stations to shut early. “Sufficient quantity of LPG and petroleum products is available across the Valley. It is being replenished regularly to ensure an uninterrupted supply,” said Kashmir divisional commissioner Anshul Garg.In Karnataka, the situation remained largely normal in Bengaluru, though shortages were reported from smaller towns such as Yadgir, Belagavi and the Hubballi-Dharwad region. In some areas, police escorted fuel tankers to outlets and warned against spreading rumours on social media.Yadgir superintendent of police Pruthvik Shankar said petrol pumps had been instructed not to fill fuel in unsafe containers, warning of licence suspension for violations. In Davangere, officials also reassured residents on cooking gas supplies. “There is no shortage of fuel, including cooking gas, petrol and diesel, in the district. There is no need to panic and reserve cylinders. Commercial cylinders are also being supplied,” deputy commissioner G.M. Gangadharaswamy said.Meanwhile, in Goa, long queues were seen outside petrol pumps and LPG agencies on Wednesday and Thursday, forcing some stations to shut temporarily to replenish stocks. “We are seeing kilometre-long lines at the petrol pumps. This is needless. There is absolutely no shortage of petrol in Goa,” said chief minister Pramod Sawant. Narahar Thakur, president of the Goa Petrol Pump Dealers’ Association, said the state has sufficient fuel stocks to last 14 days.In Meghalaya, a community kitchen that served nearly 200 meals daily at ₹5 shut for the first time in years due to an acute LPG shortage, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday. In Odisha, subsidised food canteens have curtailed cooking to conserve LPG, reducing the number of beneficiaries to about one-fifth of what it was before the West Asia crisis.Long queues at petrol pumps were also reported from select centres in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, with several pumps in Lucknow running dry.Sanjay Bhandari, coordinator for oil companies in Uttar Pradesh, said they had sufficient stock available for over three weeks. Pump operators also urged citizens not to panic. “There are 13,168 petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh, and company depots have around 20 to 22 days of fuel stored with them easily. Don’t understand how this rush was initiated,” he said.Akash Singh, a private sector employee in Lucknow, said: “There is widespread talk that fuel supplies could be hit due to international tensions. That fear has led to panic buying.”