Fuel crisis grips Andhra Pradesh; long queues despite govt assurance

A diesel supply disruption, reportedly linked to the West Asia crisis, has caused a severe fuel shortage in Andhra Pradesh. Long queues and 'No Stock' signs are common at petrol bunks, despite government claims that there is no shortage.

Fuel Crisis Grips Andhra Pradesh

Diesel supply disruption amid the West Asia crisis continues to affect the daily life of commuters across Andhra Pradesh, with long queues seen outside petrol bunks for the past three days as limited supply from oil companies has intensified the crisis. For the past three days, many fuel stations in the state have been displaying "No Stock" boards.

Despite the state government asserting that there is no fuel shortage and urging citizens not to panic, queues continued to swell at fuel stations as people rushed to stock up on petrol and diesel. The situation has led authorities to deploy officials from the Revenue and Police departments at petrol bunks to monitor crowd management and ensure order.

For the past three days, multiple fuel stations across the state have reported intermittent supply constraints from oil companies, further aggravating the situation on the ground.

Public Anger and Speculation

Speaking to reporters on the crisis, Narasimha, a fuel station employee, said panic triggered by social media speculation had worsened the situation. "For the past few days, there has been widespread news on social media that petrol prices will increase. Because of this, people started buying more petrol and diesel than usual. That is likely the reason for the shortage. If the government had planned properly in advance, we wouldn't have faced this situation. We believe this could also be due to the impact of the ongoing war. We are facing a lot of difficulties. This situation will have a major impact, especially on the agriculture sector," he said.

Another employee, Purna Chandar Rao, also expressed strong anger over the situation and criticised the government. "The government should step down. While common people are suffering like this, MLAs and MPs are roaming on roads with convoys. They should understand our situation. They came to power with our votes, but now they are putting us through hardships. We are forced to stand in queues for hours just to get one litre of petrol," he said.

Official Response and CM Intervention

Authorities continue to maintain that fuel supply chains remain stable and that the situation is being closely monitored to prevent further disruption.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials and oil company representatives to ensure that fuel supply meets the growing demand and that normal conditions are restored across the state by Monday. During a teleconference held from the camp office, the CM reviewed the reasons behind the petrol and diesel shortage in the state. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)