Current crisis worse than Covid times, say diesel shortage-hit commercial vehicle owners

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A severe diesel shortage in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is pushing commercial vehicle drivers to the brink, with many struggling to stay in business as long queues at fuel stations and erratic availability bring daily operations to a near halt.“This is a very difficult time for us. The business has taken a very bad hit as getting the diesel has become a daunting task. I have been spending most part of day and night arranging the fuel,” said Bablu Shaikh, a 30-year-old cargo rickshaw driver, who added that the current crisis is worse than the Covid period for his livelihood.Across the region, transporters and small operators say their vehicles are increasingly off the road, leading to mounting losses and uncertainty. “There is a diesel shortage in different parts of Marathwada and my vehicles are invariably off the road most of the time since the past week. We never expected such a crisis in the business, which will have a lingering adverse impact,” said Pradeep Mhaske, who runs a small car rental fleet.The crisis has been exacerbated by rising fuel costs, with diesel prices hovering around Rs 98 per litre in the city following recent hikes. Many operators say the combined impact of price rise and shortage has made it nearly impossible to sustain daily earnings.Even as authorities insist there is no supply disruption, ground reality paints a different picture, with serpentine queues continuing outside fuel stations across the district.“There is a considerable increase in the lifting of diesel with a surge attributed to panic buying. We appeal to different buyers not to purchase excess fuel,” said district supply officer Pravin Phulari.According to official data, the district recorded diesel sales of 1,322 kilolitres till Saturday evening, with 1,123 KL still in stock and another 1,695 KL in transit.However, vehicle owners and drivers have questioned these figures, citing the persistent queues and difficulty in accessing fuel. Many have termed the data “manipulated” and inconsistent with the ground situation.In Kolhapur, Arvind Taral, the president of Kolhapur District Petrol, Diesel Dealers Association, said, “All the pump owners in the city and district are not getting as much fuel as they demand from the oil companies. Due to the delay in getting oil, both the consumers and the pump owners are being affected. There is an average demand of 12 lakh liters of petrol and diesel every day. But, in reality, only 8 lakh liters are being supplied”.