Several petrol pumps in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana temporarily shut down on Wednesday after fuel stocks were quickly exhausted due to panic buying over the past two days. A sudden surge in demand led to long queues at fuel stations, forcing many pumps to put up “No Stock” boards until fresh supplies arrived.
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The rush at petrol pumps started on Tuesday evening and continued late into the night. Motorists, including car owners, two-wheeler riders and buses travelling to distant destinations, crowded fuel stations to fill their tanks. The sudden surge in demand quickly exhausted fuel stocks at several pumps within a few hours.People formed long queues at many operational petrol stations across the city. In busy areas such as SR Nagar and Ameerpet, hundreds of auto rickshaws waited for fuel throughout the day. The shortage at several pumps also reduced public transport availability because fewer autos operated on city roads, leaving many commuters stranded.
Panic buying causes fuel rush while officials assure supply is sufficient
In several places, people bought petrol in bottles, cans and other containers because they feared a possible shortage. This behaviour further increased pressure on operational pumps and caused rapid depletion of fuel stocks. Authorities later warned the public that storing fuel in such containers violates safety norms and could lead to serious accidents.Petrol pump dealers also blamed changes in payment rules introduced by oil marketing companies for the situation. Earlier, oil companies allowed dealers to receive fuel supplies on short-term credit and make payments later. However, companies recently asked dealers to clear previous dues and make advance payments before releasing fresh stock, which temporarily slowed deliveries to some outlets.
A petrol pump dealer, requesting anonymity, said supply delays forced several fuel stations to shut intermittently over the past two days. At the same time, pumps that had available stock faced unusually heavy demand, which caused their stocks to run out much faster than normal.Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjannar said panic buying and misinformation about a fuel shortage mainly triggered the situation. He added that authorities are coordinating closely with oil companies to maintain continuous fuel supply across the city.
Authorities monitor fuel supply amid sudden demand surge
Officials reported a sharp rise in fuel sales within a short period. Fuel stations sold around 3,024 kilolitres of fuel on March 22, but the figure doubled to nearly 6,400 kilolitres on March 23, clearly showing a panic-driven spike in demand.Police also warned petrol pump operators and the public against selling petrol or diesel illegally in bottles and cans. Officials said they will take strict legal action against anyone who violates safety regulations or engages in unauthorized fuel sales.
Meanwhile, Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association president Marri Amarender Reddy said false and misleading news about a fuel shortage largely triggered the panic buying. He explained that fuel sales in some areas increased nearly 2.5 to 3 times the normal levels, which temporarily exhausted stocks at several outlets.State Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy held an emergency meeting with senior officials to review the situation. After the meeting, he assured the public that the state has sufficient fuel reserves and that supply chains are functioning normally.
The minister said oil companies such as Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation significantly increased fuel supplies. On Wednesday, companies supplied around 17,898 kilolitres of fuel against a daily demand of about 17,246 kilolitres, leaving an excess stock of nearly 652 kilolitres.
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