Panic Buying Drives Record Petrol-Diesel Sales Despite Assured Supply via Strait of Hormuz

Despite repeated assurances from the administration and the government that there is no shortage of fuel or cooking gas, panic buying has led to an unprecedented surge in demand at petrol pumps across the city.

Authorities have consistently maintained that sufficient reserves are available and that oil and gas shipments continue to arrive through the Strait of Hormuz without disruption.

However, fear and speculation, largely amplified through social media discussions, have prompted vehicle owners to rush to fuel stations to fill their tanks.

As a result, many petrol pumps temporarily ran dry within hours due to the sudden spike in demand.

Once storage tanks at retail outlets are exhausted, refilling them takes several hours, during which rumours quickly spread that fuel supplies have been depleted.

This cycle of panic and misinformation has contributed significantly to public anxiety.

The heavy rush at fuel stations reflects the large number of vehicles owned by households in the city.

A majority of families own four-wheelers, while two-wheelers are also widely owned, as evidenced by the constant traffic congestion on major roads. The surge in demand over the past few days clearly indicates the scale of consumer concern.

According to sources, Iran has permitted oil and gas tankers bound for India to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without any hindrance.

Similar permissions have reportedly been extended to ships belonging to other friendly nations such as Russia, China, Iraq, and Pakistan.

This has ensured a steady and uninterrupted flow of petroleum products into India.

Despite the continuous supply, the district recorded exceptionally high fuel sales over the past three days.

Petrol pumps reported a combined sale of 6.868 million litres of petrol and diesel between Wednesday and Friday, as vehicle owners queued in long lines to secure fuel.

On Friday alone, 1.943 million litres of fuel were sold, while Thursday witnessed the highest single-day sale of 3.173 million litres. On Wednesday, fuel sales stood at 1.752 million litres.

In a positive development, approximately 2.7 million litres of petrol and diesel are expected to reach fuel stations on Saturday, which is likely to ease the pressure on retail outlets and help stabilise the situation.

Authorities continue to urge citizens to avoid panic buying, assuring that fuel supplies remain adequate and logistics chains are functioning normally. However, the people appear to have lost faith in the version of the authorities in times of crisis.

However, Rishabh, a motorcycle rider,r said, ” It is difficult to trust what officials are saying. What will they do in case the situation worsens tomorrow or the day after, he questioned. Maybe the authorities were giving such versions to keep the public pacified, he added further.