Hyderabad: Panic shopping for and provide constraints have led a number of gas retailers in Secunderabad and Hyderabad to droop the sale of standard petrol and change to premium variants, citing depletion of regular inventory.
At a number of stations, attendants knowledgeable prospects that solely premium petrol was obtainable, as common gas had run out. The worth distinction between the 2 stands at Rs 10 per litre, with regular petrol priced at Rs 107 and premium at Rs 117.
Station operators described the scenario as uncommon. “Generally, we don’t run out of stock. But the panic buying has pushed the stocks to hit rock bottom. This is unprecedented in my career of about two decades. Scores of worried customers have approached here to enquire about the possibility of petrol running out due to the evolving situation in West Asia,” stated Md Irshad, the supervisor of Bharat Petrol Pump at Sangeet Junction in Secunderabad.
Fuel stations supplying auto LPG have additionally reported shortages, displaying ‘out of stock’ notices on meting out items. Autorickshaw drivers, who depend on auto LPG, have been seen queuing on the few retailers nonetheless operational.
“After visiting close to four to five stations in this part of the city, I am now standing in this long queue. Since most of the auto LPG stations across the city have already run out of stock, we are forced to stand in this queue. I fear that if even this gas station too runs out of stock, I may have to manually tow my auto home and leave it here. The prices have gone up drastically. Now they are selling it for close to Rs 100 per litre, instead of the earlier Rs 60,” stated Okay Shravan Kumar, a resident of Nampally, whereas ready at a non-public petrol pump promoting auto LPG at Lakdikapul.
Dealers indicated that non-public operators have been promoting LPG at greater charges amid the scarcity. “Before running out of stocks about five days back, we sold 8,000 litres per day, which peaked to 15,000 on average by the time the West Asia crisis struck. We have officially sold the gas at Rs 77 per litre. Though the Indian Oil Corporation is informing us that they have stock for 57 days, people are in panic,” stated a supplier working an IOCL outlet in Begumpet.
