No Fuel Shortage In Guwahati, Authorities Urge Calm As Rumours Spark Panic Queues | ANI
Guwahati: Amid rumours of a possible fuel shortage triggered by global tensions in West Asia, authorities in Guwahati reassured residents on Thursday that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG in the city. Kamrup (Metro) District Commissioner Swapneel Paul stated that inspections conducted across oil depots and petrol pumps have confirmed that adequate fuel stocks are available and supply chains remain normal.Addressing a press conference, Paul explained that a few petrol pumps were temporarily closed due to payment-related issues, and not because of any shortage.“Rumours about a fuel shortage started circulating, so I immediately sent inspection teams to various oil depots. I also personally visited several petrol pumps. We found that petrol and diesel are available everywhere, and there is sufficient stock in Kamrup Metro district,” Paul said.
However, panic buying late Wednesday night led to long queues at several petrol pumps across the city.
“I saw people lining up for fuel because they were worried. But there is absolutely no shortage now, and there will not be any in the coming days,” the Deputy Commissioner added, urging people not to believe unverified claims.Officials clarified that the temporary closure of a few outlets was linked to changes in the fuel supply payment system.An Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) official said petrol pumps were earlier supplied fuel on a credit basis, but the system has now shifted to advance payment.“Because of the new payment system, some petrol pumps could not lift their consignments in time due to pending payments. These closures are not related to any fuel shortage,” the official said.The pumps affected included a BPCL outlet at Jatia, an IOCL pump on Rajgarh Road, and a BPCL pump at Zoo Road. The Rajgarh Road pump has already resumed operations, while fresh consignments are expected shortly for the other two.The HPCL outlet at Noonmati was also closed due to a payment issue, while the HPCL pump at Sonapur has remained shut for more than two months for the same reason, officials said.Paul also shared the current fuel stock figures at supply terminals. The Betkuchi terminal holds 45 lakh litres of petrol and 65 lakh litres of diesel, while the HPCL terminal there has 4 lakh litres of petrol and 18 lakh litres of diesel in stock. In addition, BPCL receives supplies from the Numaligarh Refinery, which currently has 25 lakh litres of petrol and 1.6 crore litres of diesel available.“These are the sources from which petrol pumps receive their supplies, and all of them have sufficient stock. There is absolutely no reason for any scarcity,” Paul said.Reinforcing the assurance, Indian Oil’s State Retail Head Anshu Moudgil said Assam and the Northeast are well-supported by strong refining infrastructure.The region has four refineries — at Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Digboi and Numaligarh — with a combined refining capacity of 7.3 million tonnes per annum, of which Indian Oil accounts for 4.5 million tonnes. Also Watch:
Together, these refineries produce about 125 thousand metric tonnes (TMT) of petrol and 408 TMT of diesel every month.In comparison, Assam’s monthly consumption stands at only 63.1 TMT of petrol and 92.3 TMT of diesel, indicating a comfortable surplus in production.“So there is sufficient availability of fuel in Assam and across the Northeast. There is no need for panic. We are fully capable of meeting consumer demand,” Moudgil said.Officials said the rumours circulating on social media and reports of queues at pumps had created unnecessary concern among vehicle owners, transporters and daily commuters.Authorities have urged residents to continue refuelling normally and avoid hoarding, warning that panic buying itself can create temporary supply pressure.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/