KARIMNAGAR/SANGAREDDY/NIZAMABAD/ADILABAD: Long serpentine queues were witnessed outside petrol bunks across the erstwhile Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad and Adilabad districts on Wednesday as panic buying, triggered by rumours of fuel shortage, disrupted normal supply.
Despite repeated assurances from officials and petroleum dealers that adequate stocks are available, several outlets displayed ‘no stock’ boards, intensifying public anxiety. In parts of Karimnagar, panic gripped motorists as fuel stations ran dry, leading to long queues for petrol and diesel.
The Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association termed the situation temporary. Its president M Amarender Reddy said, “There is no actual shortage of fuel. Adequate stocks are available with oil companies and supply chains are functioning normally.”
He urged the public to avoid panic buying and refrain from storing fuel in unauthorised containers. Officials, including Karimnagar police chief Gaush Alam and Peddapalli collector Koya Sree Harsha, also appealed to citizens not to believe rumours and assured that the situation was under control.
However, ground reports from the erstwhile Medak district indicated supply stress. Consumers reported delays in LPG deliveries to rural areas, with some waiting over a month after booking cylinders. Social media rumours about possible fuel shortages due to global tensions further fuelled panic.
In Sangareddy, three of five petrol bunks were shut, forcing motorists to crowd the remaining outlets. In Zaheerabad, four pumps displayed ‘No Stock’ boards. A petrol bunk owner said demand has surged sharply. “In the past, one load of fuel would last two to three days. Now, it is finished in just three to four hours,” he said. Another dealer in Zaheerabad added, “Ten thousand litres of fuel that earlier took three to four days to sell is now sold within three to four hours.”
In Nizamabad, several outlets displayed ‘no stock’ boards due to supply delays and panic buying. “For the past few days, vehicle owners have been opting for full tanks instead of purchasing fuel worth `50 or `100. This has resulted in stocks depleting much faster than usual,” a dealer said.
He added that supply delays, advance payment requirements by oil companies and transport issues had worsened the situation. “We usually maintain stock for three days, but it is getting exhausted within a day due to increased demand,” he said.
Police urged the public not to panic and warned of action against those creating disturbances at fuel stations. Officials attributed the disruption partly to technical issues at supply points and said the situation would soon normalise.
In Adilabad, long queues were reported, with some pumps rationing fuel to `200 for two-wheelers. Even shopkeepers were seen carrying cans to purchase fuel. Collector Rajarshi Shah and SP Akhil Mahajan reiterated that there is no shortage and appealed to the public to remain calm.