Long lines, spike in fuel demand across Lucknow’s petrol pumps despite govt reassurance

“District administrations have been put on alert and instructed to closely monitor the situation at petrol pumps to ensure uninterrupted supply. The state is also maintaining constant coordination with oil companies to manage logistics and ensure buffer availability if required,” the officer said.

Surge in demand

Earlier in the day, long queues were seen outside several petrol pumps in Lucknow and parts of the state as a sudden surge in demand led to temporary shortages at some outlets. Officials attributed the rush to panic buying triggered by social media posts.

Lucknow District Supply Officer Vijay Singh said the surge appeared to be driven by rumours of an impending shortage, leading people to stock up on fuel. “There is no crisis as such. Supply is coming regularly, but demand has suddenly increased,” said Sudhir Bora, vice-president of the UP Petrol Pump Association.

Long queues at a petrol pump in Lucknow on Thursday. Vishal Srivastav

Bora stated that Lucknow’s fuel supply is divided across depots, with Bharat Petroleum supplying from Kanpur, while Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum have their own depots in Lucknow.

According to industry estimates, Lucknow’s daily consumption is around 3 lakh litres of petrol and nearly 6 lakh litres of diesel and is sold through 225 filling stations. But Thursday’s demand exceeded significantly.

Bora said an average petrol pump typically sees a daily sale of around 3,000-4,000 litres. “But the fuel demand on Thursday shot up to 8,000-10,000 litres at some outlets. At my pump alone, against a usual demand of about 4,000 litres, sales crossed 10,000 litres today. This kind of sudden spike is difficult to manage instantly,” he added.

“If a particular outlet runs out of stock, replenishment can take some time depending on logistics, which may create the impression of a shortage,” he added.

Officials also pointed to external supply commitments, noting that oil companies maintain regular dispatch schedules, including tanker movements to neighbouring regions such as Nepal. However, they stressed that these arrangements have not disrupted local supply.

On reports that some oil companies had restricted fuel supply on credit to certain dealers, Bora said the issue was limited and related to individual financial arrangements. “It may affect a small number of pumps, but it is not widespread and should not be seen as a supply crisis,” he said.

By evening, queues had begun to ease at several locations as fresh supplies reached outlets. Officials, however, said that they would continue to monitor the situation to prevent any disruption.

“There is no need for hoarding. Supplies are regular, and the situation will normalise,” an official said.