Fuel price hike rumours gives rise to rush at fuel filling stations

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: The fear of a possible fuel price hike and rumours of a supply crunch triggered an unusual rush at filling stations across the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on Thursday, with residents queuing up at pumps to top up their tanks.Several fuel stations in the twin cities reported brisk sales, while a few shut earlier than usual after exhausting their daily stock. Dealers, however, dismissed concerns of any shortage and urged citizens not to panic.Oil companies too maintained that fuel supplies remained normal and adequate across the state. “At present, there is absolutely no shortage of petrol or diesel. Supply is normal and uninterrupted,” said Sanjay Lath, general secretary of Utkal Petroleum Dealers’ Association.He advised citizens not to panic. “Such rumours only create unnecessary pressure on retail outlets. Several filling stations have been reporting higher-than-usual daily sales in recent days, leading to early closure of the outlets, as reported in some districts as well as the state capital,” he added.Despite the assurances, filling stations witnessed unusually high footfall. Dealers said consumers who otherwise opted for partial refilling were now insisting on filling up full tanks. “This sudden surge has led to faster exhaustion of stocks at some outlets,” said Ramchandra Naik, a pump manager at Chandrasekharpur.Motorists admitted that uncertainty prompted them to stock up. “There are talks of a price hike, which we can’t ignore. I don’t want to be caught off guard if prices go up or pumps run dry. That is why I topped up my car and bike today,” said Anil Mohanty, a private employee from Saheed Nagar.Echoing similar concerns, Acharya Vihar resident Sasmita Nag said there is too much news and too many WhatsApp messages doing the rounds. “Even if officials say there is no problem, people are unsure. Filling the tank fully gives some peace of mind. No one wants to take any unnecessary risk,” she said.Dealers acknowledged that misinformation played a big role in triggering the rush. “Social media forwards and word-of-mouth rumours about a fuel crisis have caused this situation. Once people see queues, more people join, fearing a shortage,” said Ramakant Ojha, a filling station employee near Vani Vihar Square.Officials from oil marketing companies reiterated that there was no disruption in supply from depots and deliveries to retail outlets were continuing as per schedule. “There is no shortage at the refinery or depot level as of now. All the retail outlets are being supplied regularly,” an official said.