Shortage of fuel throws life 'out of gear' for drivers

Chennai, Jun 30 (UNI) Even as the no 'stock boards' on diesel put lorry and truck owners to great hardship, vehicle owners in this increasingly bustling metropolis today suffered from short supply of petrol also.

However, the oil industry has assured vehicle owners that normal supply of diesel as well petrol would be restored within a couple of days.

A UNI correspondent who went round the city witnessed long queues in almost all petrol bunks as the dealers were faced with short supply.

Coming in the wake of dissatisfaction over supply of only premium brand petrol by oil companies, the sudden short supply compounded their woes in great measure.

In some petrol bunks, people were being given a restricted quantity of just two litres for two-wheelers and five to ten litres for four wheelers. ''Even for this, we have to wait for nearly two to three hours'', a two-wheeler driver bemoaned.

Petrol bunk owners attributed the short supply of petrol from the oil companies for the sudden crisis. ''We are getting only 50 per cent of the normal supply'', a dealer said.

Meanwhile, the state-level Co-ordinator of Oil Industry, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the Executive Director Indian Oil Corporation speaking on behalf of oil marketing companies today assured customers that the shortage was ''very temporary''.

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