In some states including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, Gujarat, petrol and diesel are not supplied on demand, leading to fuel shortage. Long queues have started appearing at petrol pumps. Petroleum companies have been reluctant to supply pumps. This is likely to lead to severe shortages across the country now.
Petroleum companies are incurring huge losses. There has been no change in fuel prices for the last four weeks. As a result, companies have reduced supply. In Maharashtra too, the officials of petrol pumps in Aurangabad had made a similar allegation a few days back. The effect is now being felt across the country. Even Ahmedabad in Gujarat has been getting only 50 per cent supply for the last two to three days. Petrol-diesel shortage has also started in Rajasthan.
An even more shocking thing has happened in UP's Hardoi. From Sunday night onwards, word spread among the people that petrol would run out. According to NBT's Amar Ujala, Reliance has hiked the price of petrol by Rs 5 and diesel by Rs 3 amid rumors of price hike. Currently, petrol is running out at petrol pumps in the city. Supply in Bihar has not been affected yet.
HP and Bharat Petroleum's petrol pumps in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab are facing shortage. Even though the supply at Indian Oil pumps is smooth, the pressure on them has increased. The shortage is likely to start here in a week.
Crude oil prices are rising. As a result, petroleum companies are losing Rs 23 on diesel and Rs 16 on petrol. This is reducing the supply. According to the Madhya Pradesh Pump Association, the companies have ordered the pump owners to keep the petrol pump running for only eight hours.