Hyderabad: Fuel stations across Hyderabad witnessed long queues from the afternoon as fears over fuel shortage due to a nationwide strike by oil-tanker truckers propelled motorists to stock up, leading to traffic jams and gridlocking key intersections.
The worst affected were the IT Corridor, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Mehdipatnam, Lakdikapul, Begumpet, Secunderabad, RTC Crossroads, Narayanguda, Sanathnagar and Kukatpally.
The rush that started in the afternoon continued till late evening, affecting schoolchildren returning home and office-goers returning during the evening rush hour.
Engineering student B. Thambi Aashish said that roads were packed at Erragadda due to a rush at two petrol pumps on the main road. “The time it took to cross the area was unusually higher than the regular time,” he said.
An MNC employee said it took more than an hour to cross the stretch from Maitrivanam to Yousufguda, which is less than two kilometres, due to the convergence of vehicles at petrol pumps.
Social media was also flooded with complaints of traffic jams. “jam Pack on Panjagutta Flyover any update on clearance ? It’s been more than 30 mins we are in Panjagutta flyover (sic),” a user with the handle Unnati wrote on X.
While traffic police were deployed at petrol pumps to control the rush and explain to motorists that the strike had been called off, many refused to budge without refuelling, leading to arguments at multiple locations.
Traffic police also posted alerts on social media, informing commuters of roads with traffic blocks.
Meanwhile, civil supplies commissioner D.S. Chauhan appealed to the public not to resort to panic buying, assuaging their fears of a short supply.
After a meeting with officials of BPCL, IOCL and HPCL, Chauhan said that the situation was “under complete control” and “there is no need for people to panic in this regard.”
He instructed officials to take appropriate measures and see that there was no shortage of petrol and diesel.
DGMs Yatendrapal Singh and V. Ravindarra Kumar, and senior manager T. Srinivas Rao of HPCL, GM Sitesh Kishan and DGMs Sudeep Mitra and Parthiv Dhar of the IOCL were among those who took part in the meeting.
