Panic buying in Pune, Shirdi Sai Baba devotees unable to find transport

The strike called by the transporters not only impacted fuel supply in Maharashtra, causing a rush to fill fuel at petrol pumps since Monday, but it also affected overall transport across the state

PUNE: With the transporters’ associations of fuel companies in Nashik district having called a strike from Monday, January 1, 2024 against section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) – which sentences hit-and-run drivers to 10 years of imprisonment or imposes a fine of ₹7 lakh – fuel (petrol and diesel) supply to the 12 districts of Nashik, northern Maharashtra, and Marathwada was impacted. As a result, Punekars began panic buying fuel and long queues were seen well into Tuesday at several petrol pumps in Pune city. Meanwhile, the devotees who had travelled to Shirdi Sai Baba for darshan faced inconvenience as they did not get either MSRTC or private tourist buses for travel.

There was a shortage of fuel across the state which in turn affected MSRTC and private tourist buses ferrying passengers. (RAHUL RAUT/ HT PHOTO)

With around 1,500 fuel tanker drivers of Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil and Indane Gas Bottling Plant of Manmad participating in the protest, there was a shortage of fuel across the state which in turn affected MSRTC and private tourist buses ferrying passengers (and goods).

Pinak Kamble, a devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba, said, “I had come to Shirdi to take darshan of Sai Baba on the first day of the year, so today I wanted to go back to Kolhapur with my family. As we did not get a state transport (ST) bus, we tried to check with private tourist buses but none of the buses were available. So today we took a day’s halt at Shirdi, and we will travel tomorrow morning.”

The strike called by the transporters not only impacted fuel supply in Maharashtra, causing a rush to fill fuel at petrol pumps since Monday, but it also affected overall transport across the state.

Ali Daruwala, All India Petrol Dealers’ Association spokesperson, said, “On Monday night, after the supply was restored, the rush had eased. Meanwhile, due to the fear of not getting fuel owing to the drivers’ strike, there was a rumour that the price of fuel would increase in Pune city. Now however, the supply is smooth and there is no need for the people to panic.”

“The pan-India strike by transporters will not affect the supply of petrol and diesel. The Pune district administration has provided police protection to petroleum tankers for refilling at the Loni Depot. All petrol pumps will remain open in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad,” he added.

Meanwhile, the administration held a meeting with the tanker drivers at the Panewadi Fuel Plant of Manmad on Tuesday. Nashik district collector Jalaj Sharma, superintendent of police Shahaji Umap, RTO officials, police administration, and the tanker drivers were present on the occasion. The outcome of the meeting was positive and a solution to the strike was found in the presence of the district collector. Fuel supply will now be restored in the 12 districts of Nashik, northern Maharashtra and Marathwada.

Sharma said, “Discussions have been held with the vehicle drivers and transporters. We have heard the demands of the drivers who were on strike. After understanding their issues and questions, we have promised to present these to the administration and central government. Therefore, the drivers are now ready to get back to work.”