The recent petrol shortage in Hyderabad has resulted in significant panic buying, leading to long queues at petrol pumps across the city. Despite the Telangana government’s assurances that there is no fuel shortage, several petrol stations have run out of fuel and displayed ‘no stock’ signs.
Panic buying was triggered by rumors circulating on social media about a fuel shortage, prompting residents to rush to petrol stations. Some stations began rationing fuel sales, limiting purchases to between 150–200 litres for two-wheelers.
According to the Civil Supplies department, the fuel supply mechanism is functioning normally, with daily petrol consumption in Telangana estimated at 35 lakh litres. However, oil companies did not supply fuel over the weekend due to holidays, contributing to the temporary stock issues reported at petrol stations in areas like Bahadurpura and Mir Alam.
In the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) region alone, there are approximately 900-1000 petrol pumps, while the total number across Telangana is around 3600. Normally, each pump sells between 10,000-12,000 litres of petrol daily. On a day of panic buying, one pump reported selling 13,000 litres by 6 PM.
Stephan Reveendra, the Commissioner of the Civil Supplies Department, urged the public not to engage in panic buying, emphasizing that the situation is under control. However, the uncertainty surrounding the sudden surge in demand remains, with residents expressing frustration over the long wait times at petrol stations.
One resident, A Narendra, stated, “I came here after seeing posts about a fuel shortage on social media,” highlighting the impact of misinformation. Another customer, Sai Kumar, noted, “Hundreds of vehicles are here for filling. I am here from almost 25 minutes,” illustrating the chaos at the pumps.
Marri Amarender Reddy, president of the Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association, criticized the oil companies for imposing sudden rules and restrictions that directly affect citizens when the situation is not right.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the timeline for when normal fuel supply will resume, leaving many residents anxious about the availability of petrol in the coming days.
