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Fuel shortage rumours trigger panic buying in Ludhiana petrol pumps
Petrol pump operators reported an unprecedented surge in demand, with vehicle inflow rising to nearly five times the usual level
Rumours of a possible fuel shortage amid tensions in the Middle East triggered panic buying across the city on Friday, leading to long queues at petrol pumps and temporary stockouts at several filling stations.
Petrol pump operators reported an unprecedented surge in demand, with vehicle inflow rising to nearly five times the usual level. As anxious residents rushed to fill their tanks, several outlets briefly ran out of fuel and had to suspend operations until fresh supplies arrived.
Ashok Sachdeva, chairman of the Petrol Pump Dealers Association, said the rush was entirely driven by speculation. “There is no shortage of fuel supply. People do not need to panic, but the sudden surge in demand is itself creating pressure on stocks,” he said.
Dealers also noted that panic buying was aggravated by some residents reportedly storing fuel at home, further straining availability at retail outlets.
Aman Malhi, a petrol pump owner, said daily sales had almost doubled. “We usually sell around 6,000 litres a day, but demand has jumped to nearly 10,000 litres. On Friday, we had to shut for a few hours after running out of stock. Supply was also briefly delayed after a tanker broke down en route,” he said.
Several residents said social media messages played a key role in triggering the rush. Garry Brar, a trader, said WhatsApp posts warning of a fuel shortage due to Middle East tensions led many to rush to pumps.
However, transport and industry representatives maintained that there has been no disruption in supply. JP Aggarwal, president of the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association, said fuel movement remained normal across the supply chain.
Echoing this, Jaswinder Singh, a resident, said petrol pump staff assured customers that there was no shortage despite the rush.
Officials and fuel dealers have appealed to the public to avoid panic buying, warning that unnecessary hoarding could create artificial scarcity and further strain supplies.
