[1]Several Chennaiites who had postponed filling their vehicles with fuel on Saturday hoping to fill it the next day were shell-shocked Sunday morning to see the ‘No stock boards’ hanging at the several outlets.
However, there was respite for a few fortunate owners of petrol vehicles with a few pumps dispensing fuel on Sunday. The diesel operated cars, vans and lorries were the worst affected with movement of those vehicles coming to a standstill owing to the ongoing diesel crisis.
Cars and two wheelers thronged the petrol pumps on Sunday as the situation appeared to be comparatively better than the previous day. Some drivers got to fill their vehicles from a few pumps operating like one in Vepery.
Though the diesel crisis had been prevailing for the past few weeks, shortage of petrol started only from Friday evening as the fuel outlets witnessed a sudden dip in the supply of petrol due to unknown reasons.
With acute shortage of diesel, several dealers opted to order more petrol from the oil companies as it seemed to be a better option rather than closing down the pumps, according to the manager of an IOC outlet in central Chennai.
“I had placed orders for 12,000 litres of petrol on Friday which has not yet come. After that I placed another order on Saturday which has not reached yet,” a pump owner said.
He was hopeful that normalcy would be restored in a day or two. While petrol shortage was witnessed in Chennai and suburban areas, diesel supply has been hit across the state.
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