SAMBALPUR: The fuel crisis panic has not only affected public transport operators but also begun disrupting daily commuters with petrol pumps witnessing unusually heavy rush in Sambalpur city.
As a result, several fuel stations within the city are running out of stock, while pumps located along the highways have reportedly started regulating sales to ensure supplies last until the next replenishment.
Transport operators caution that the situation, if it persists, could lead to disruption in passenger services across several western Odisha. Around 400 private buses operate daily in Sambalpur district, including nearly 40 night coaches that travel long distances and require higher quantities of diesel. Besides this, regular bus services connect Sambalpur with Rourkela, Balangir, Nuapada, Keonjhar and other districts.
Bus owners say nearly half of them operating from Sambalpur refuel at local petrol pumps while the rest depend on fuel stations located along their routes. Although services are normal at present, operators fear continued closure or dry-out of pumps could soon disrupt transportation.
Saroj Kumar Patra, a private bus owner, said, fuel stations are frequently running dry during daytime, disrupting the schedule of buses. “Even when supply resumes in the evening, the service stations become overcrowded. The increase in petrol and diesel prices is manageable since fares have been revised accordingly. However, if the supply crisis continues, we have no alternative mechanism to sustain operations smoothly,” he added. While the revision of bus fare has brought some respite to private bus owners, autorickshaw drivers are bearing the brunt of the situation.
Secretary of Sambalpur Auto Mahasangha Premananda Mishra said, more than 4,000 autorickshaw operators in Sambalpur are staring at an uncertain future amid the ongoing fuel crisis. “The sector was already under pressure after introduction of government-run EV buses and the present situation has made it more complex. Unlike bus operators, we are not in a position to increase fares. At the same time, it is not possible for drivers to spend hours in queues at fuel stations multiple times a day just to continue operations,” he added.
Mishra claimed that while some drivers have already left the profession in search of alternative livelihood, many others are continuing only because they are burdened with vehicle loans and financial commitments.