Ahmedabad: A few petrol pumps at various places of Gujarat halted the sale of petrol due to supply disruptions from respective oil distribution companies. While outlets had adequate stock, the news on TV media and social media that some petrol pumps are non-functional triggered panic, resulting into long queues at other functional petrol pumps on Monday.

In Ahmedabad, an HP petrol pump at Shivranjani Crossroads was shut after its fuel stock was exhausted by around 9:30 am. The closure was attributed to a delay in the pump’s individual supply line, leaving several commuters stranded.

Pump employees told the media, “The tanker has not arrived from the depot and is expected by the afternoon. We sold whatever stock was available till 9:30 am, after which the pump had to be closed.”

Another petrol pump near Manav Mandir and Pakwan Crossroads in the city was also found closed, while long queues were seen at a Bharat Petroleum pump in the Danapith area as motorists rushed to refuel.

Vadodara is also witnessing a shortage at some private outlets, particularly Nayara petrol pumps, where barricades have been put up due to lack of petrol. Though some diesel stock is available, it is not being sold in large quantities as most customers are two-wheeler users seeking petrol. According to reports, supply tankers that usually arrive daily are now taking three to four days.

In Rajkot, reports suggest that seven IOC petrol pumps, along with some private outlets, are currently closed. The disruption has been linked to supply-chain issues following recent holidays, though officials have said the situation is expected to normalise soon and have urged citizens not to panic.

One of pump owners told media persons that earlier the company would give one day credit, but now they seek payment on the same day. He went on to say that due to Saturday (Eid) and Sunday public holidays, payment coudn’t proceed through banks and therefore there’s a disruption.

In Surat, dealers have also reported reduced supply from oil companies, and around five petrol pumps in the city have already shut down as the supply chain weakens.

Tansukhbhai Parmar, treasurer of the Gujarat Petroleum Dealers Association, told the media that petrol supply has reduced since Friday. Oil companies are providing less fuel, citing technical reasons for the cut.

Federation of Gujarat Petrol-Diesel Dealers Association secretary Dhimant Ghelani said that more than 1,000 petrol pumps in Saurashtra and Kutch are linked to IOC, and supply has been irregular in recent days. The association has approached IOC officials to ensure uninterrupted availability of fuel, adding that there is no major shortage at present.

Following the representation, IOC officials informed dealers that changes have been made in the supply system. If a single dealer is unable to lift 20,000 litres of petrol or diesel at once, two dealers will now be allowed to jointly lift the stock. Officials assured that earlier bottlenecks have been cleared and supply will continue smoothly, allowing dealers to procure fuel as per requirement.

Earlier on Sunday, the temple town of Dwarka also saw long queues at petrol pumps, after which petrol and diesel stocks at the town’s two main fuel stations were completely exhausted, causing inconvenience to both pilgrims and local residents. Due to the weekend holidays, a large number of devotees had arrived in Dwarka to visit the Dwarkadhish temple, but the fuel shortage left several tourist vehicles stranded and disrupted travel plans. Local residents also faced difficulties in carrying out daily activities.

Meanwhile, long queues at petrol pumps show no signs of easing, driven by panic over a possible fuel shortage. With most motorists opting to fill their tanks to full capacity, stocks may deplete faster than usual—potentially triggering “out of stock” notices and further intensifying the rush. DeshGujarat