Assam fuel panic buying: Guwahati sees long queues as officials deny petrol and diesel shortage

Panic buying of petrol and diesel was reported in Guwahati and several Assam districts after fuel shortage claims circulated on social media. Long queues formed and some pumps ran out of stock. Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said supplies remain normal, citing confirmations from Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.

Panic buying of petrol and diesel was reported across parts of Assam on Wednesday. Reports of a fuel shortage spread on social media. Long lines formed at petrol pumps, including in Guwahati. Some outlets put up no fuel signs or shut after stocks emptied quickly. Officials said supplies remained normal and asked people to buy only as needed.

Officials said the rush was driven by fear, not a supply gap. Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said checks with suppliers showed no disruption. Kamrup Metropolitan district commissioner Swapnaneel Paul also denied any crunch. Reports of pumps running dry came as many vehicle owners tried to fill tanks at once, expecting fuel to run out soon.

Assam petrol and diesel stock checked with suppliers

Ravi Kota said there was no statewide shortage after speaking to major oil firms. "There is no shortage of petrol or diesel in the state. We have checked with the suppliers, including IOCL, BPCL and HPCL,\" Kota told. Kota added that a national-level review also found no problem. \"In fact, the Petroleum Secretary, during a meeting with all the states earlier today, said there was no shortage of petrol and diesel in the country,\" Kota said.

In Guwahati, the administration contacted all fuel outlets within the city, Ravi Kota said. Kota stated there were 35 petrol pumps in Guwahati. All of them confirmed they had enough fuel for normal demand. Despite this, several pumps reported running out because of heavy buying. Some outlets also stayed closed after their stocks finished early.

Assam petrol and diesel availability confirmed across outlets

Ravi Kota also posted an update on X, citing verification across the state. \"After review and verification with Oil Marketing Companies OMCs, as well as individual petrol and diesel outlets across Assam including Guwahati City, it has been confirmed that there is adequate stock of petrol and diesel in line with the states normal requirements at both OMC depots and retail pumps.\"

Kota said IOCL adjusted retailer payment rules to ease operations. Retailers can now pay within three days of purchase. Earlier, payment was required on the same day. Kota urged consumers to keep buying fuel as per regular needs. Officials said this approach would help avoid local shortages caused by sudden rushes at pumps.

Assam petrol and diesel sales limits reported by dealers

A petroleum dealers association source said supplies were not cut. However, some agencies reportedly limited how much each customer could buy. The source said this step aimed to keep stocks available for more people. The source added, \"Panic buying is leading to pumps running out of stock. Also, there had been some change in credit-linked lifting of stock, which might have led to availability of lesser stock with some pumps, he added.\"

Outside Guwahati, similar scenes were reported in several districts. Panic buying was reported from Golaghat, Nagaon and Darrang, among other places. Some petrol pumps in these areas also saw stocks drop quickly. Authorities continued to state that fuel was available through depots and retail outlets. Officials blamed false messages for triggering the rush.

With inputs from PTI