Telangana, AP urges people to ‘Stop panic buying’ fuel amid petrol pump rush

Amid reports of panic buying at fuel stations in parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, petroleum dealer associations in both states clarified that there was no shortage of fuel.

The Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association stated that rumours about a fuel shortage had led many people to rush to petrol pumps and purchase fuel unnecessarily. It noted that this surge in demand had pushed sales to nearly 2.5 to 3 times the usual levels, causing temporary depletion of stocks at some outlets.

However, the association emphasised that sufficient fuel supplies were available with public sector companies like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and that supply chains were functioning normally. It also urged people to avoid panic buying, refrain from storing fuel in unauthorised containers, and purchase only as needed.

A similar reassurance was issued by petroleum traders in Andhra Pradesh, AP Federation of Petroleum Traders, who said that panic buying was largely limited to Vijayawada, with no such situation reported in most other areas, Indian Express reported.

Earlier, V C Sajjanar, the police commissioner of Hyderabad, had appealed to residents not to panic, stating that there was no shortage of fuel or LPG cylinders in the city. He assured that adequate stocks were available and supplies were running smoothly, while cautioning that panic buying could lead to unnecessary congestion and disruption.

He added that the police were closely monitoring the situation and urged citizens not to believe or spread rumours.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is set to review the state’s fuel and fertiliser stocks, including petrol, LPG cylinders and urea, to ensure uninterrupted supply. According to officials, the meeting will focus on precautionary steps and inventory management to prevent any shortages.

The surge in panic buying was reportedly triggered after a few fuel stations displayed notices indicating they had run out of stock following heavy sales during the day.

The situation comes in the context of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which have affected global energy supplies, particularly in key transit routes like the Strait of Hormuz, impacting countries including India.