Over 60% petrol stations run dry in Nashik city

Nashik: Over 60% of the petrol pumps in Nashik city ran dry by Thursday evening following intense panic buying triggered by rumours that petroleum companies were reducing fuel supply.Long queues were seen at several pumps throughout the day as anxious motorists rushed to fill their tanks, leading to restrictions on the amount of fuel being dispensed. Many operational pumps limited sales to Rs300 for two-wheelers and Rs2,000 for four-wheelers to manage the crowd and ensure fuel availability for those waiting in queues.Similar scenes were reported from Jalgaon and Ahilyanagar districts where panic buying resulted in long queues at fuel stations. Authorities across all three districts appealed to the residents to not believe in rumours and clarified that oil companies were supplying fuel as usual, with no disruption in the supply chain.The Nashik Petrol Dealers Association (NPDA) also urged the residents to avoid unnecessary stockpiling of fuel, stressing that the supply was adequate and shortage was only due to panic buying.In contrast, private company Nayara (formerly Essar Oil) increased its fuel prices from Thursday. High-speed diesel prices were raised by Rs3 per litre, while petrol prices went up by Rs5 per litre.Despite multiple petrol pumps receiving tankers on Wednesday evening, the surge in demand caused them to run dry by night. "We received a petrol tanker in the evening, but the entire stock was exhausted by night due to the heavy rush. People were filling more fuel than they usually do," manager of a city petrol pump said. Amid rising concern, cabinet minister Girish Mahajan held a meeting with the Nashik District Petrol Dealers Welfare Association to assess the situation. The meeting was attended by association president Vijay Thakre and vice-president Tehsin Khan, mayor Himgaruri Aher, NMC's standing committee chairperson Machhindra Sanap and municipal commissioner Manisha Khatri.During the meeting, cabinet minister Girish Mahajan said that considering the rising demand for petrol and diesel in the district, the administration, oil companies and distributors should work in coordination to ensure smooth supply. At present, the demand for petrol and diesel has increased nearly one-and-a-half times, creating a temporary artificial shortage at some locations. Mahajan instructed petrol pump staff to behave politely and patiently with customers to ensure that no disputes arise at fuel stations.According to Khan, nearly 60% of petrol pumps in Nashik city and district ran dry by Thursday evening. "People who normally buy fuel worth Rs300 are suddenly buying Rs1,000 worth of petrol out of fear. This is leading to pumps being emptied quickly. We appeal to citizens to buy only as much as they need and not hoard fuel," he said. Nashik district has around 550 petrol pumps, including around 170 within the city limits. Many of these pumps are located along major highways, where the rush was particularly intense.