Thousands of motorists throng fuel outlets fearing petrol, diesel shortage in Andhra

AMARAVATI: Thousands of motorists thronged fuel retail outlets in Andhra Pradesh on Monday, fearing a shortage, even as the government assured that there would be "no shortage of petrol and diesel".

Several two-wheelers, cars, trucks and other vehicles were seen lined up at a petrol pump in Rajahmundry. People were also seen carrying plastic containers to buy petrol and diesel.

At a petrol bunk in Auto Nagar in Vijayawada, similar scenes played out with several vehicles lined up.

It was the same on Sunday afternoon at all the petrol pumps in Vijayawada's Ajit Singh Nagar and vicinity.

Gopala Krishna, a member of the fuel retailers association from Guntur, said the crisis has spread across the state.

"Not only Guntur, this is the situation across the state. We are receiving information that diesel is getting exhausted everywhere from our dealers," he told reporters.

"We are expecting that 70 to 80 per cent of petrol bunks will get fuel by tomorrow (April 28), he said, claiming that last week oil companies were intent on giving less fuel to dealers and stopped diesel supply, which led to this crisis." People are thronging to bunks where fuel is available, he said, and appealed to consumers not to panic or hoard fuel. All petrol bunks will be supplied with fuel and things will return to normal in a couple of days, he asserted.

Meanwhile, Polavaram district collector Dinesh Kumar issued a statement saying that "petrol and diesel supply is normal".

"There is no fuel shortage. There is no need for people to panic," Kumar said in an official release.

He advised people not to resort to unnecessary bulk purchase of fuel and called on them to pass on information in the event of a shortage.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister M Ram Prasad Reddy directed officials to ensure that transport services are not affected even amid temporary disruption to petrol and diesel supply.

Calling on transport services to be alert, the minister said people should not be inconvenienced.

"All transport services should take immediate steps to avoid inconvenience to passengers across the state," he said, calling for alternate arrangements if needed.

Keeping the needs of people in mind, buses and other transport vehicles should be operated indefinitely in coordination with the transport department and private operators. Further, he warned of severe action in the event of any negligence and also requested people to cooperate.