CHANDIGARH: Petrol pumps across Punjab have sought immediate government intervention to resolve a severe short supply of petrol and diesel.
There are around 3,700 petrol pumps across the state, and 25% of the pumps are in rural agricultural areas where fuel demand increases during wheat harvesting and paddy sowing season.
The Punjab Petrol Pump Dealers Association, in an email to the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, stated that they wish to draw the government's immediate attention to the "severe and highly disruptive short supply of Petrol and Diesel by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to petrol pumps across Punjab."
The association alleged that this has resulted in widespread dry-outs at retail outlets, creating a critical situation.
Rajesh Kumar, Secretary General of the Association, further wrote that the supply from HPCL and BPCL has taken a significant hit, while IOCL is comparatively better.
Many petrol pumps are running dry, leading to long queues, severe public hardship, and mounting resentment.
This shortage is directly threatening agricultural activities, farmer livelihoods, transportation, essential services, and the overall economy of the state.
"It is important to note that the respective Deputy Commissioners have issued clear advisories directing all petrol pumps to maintain a minimum stock of 1000 litres Petrol and 2000 litres Diesel at all times," the letter stated.
The association said that the contradictory situation has placed petrol pump dealers in an "extremely acute, tense, and unsustainable position" as they are forced to violate mandatory minimum stock directives or face customer unrest due to severely restricted fuel sales.
"The limited availability is frequently resulting in disputes, unruly behaviour, and potential law and order problems at the pumps," it added.
The association demanded that the state government directs all Oil Marketing Companies, particularly HPCL and BPCL, to release release regular and sufficient supply of fuel to all retail outlets in Punjab on an emergency basis, treating these as critical essential commodities.
They also sought adequate security arrangements at petrol pumps, especially in sensitive and high-demand areas, to manage crowds and prevent any untoward incidents due to customer frustration over limited fuel availability.
Additionally, the Petrol Pump Dealers Association Punjab (PPDAP) has written to the Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha demanding immediate intervention particularly on pumps run by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
The president of the association Paramjit Singh Doaba said that despite dealers maintaining sufficient advance payments in their accounts fuel supplies continue to face repeated delays and disruptions.
Adding to the dealers’ woes, the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are reportedly forcing them to lift premium-grade fuels — priced nearly Rs 10 per litre higher than regular petrol and diesel — before clearing normal MS/HSD indents.
The HPCL, in particular, is aggressively pushing its “POWER” petrol as part of the indent execution process, while IOCL and BPCL are also insisting on premium product lifting to some extent.
The letter further stated that prior to February 2026, oil depots routinely operated on holidays, including Sundays, to clear pending indents and maintain smooth supply lines.
However, several depots have now curtailed holiday operations and reduced working hours, disrupting replenishment schedules and aggravating supply instability across the state.
"Retail outlets are frequently running dry, creating panic and apprehension among consumers, especially farmers, regarding fuel availability. This has resulted in unusual rushes and long queues at outlets where inventories are still available," the letter added.