Nagpur: Maharashtra is seeing heavy crowds at petrol pumps after a message spread on social media claiming fuel would not be available after 11 PM. This message created fear among people, even though officials have clearly said there is no real shortage.
In many cities like Nashik, Kolhapur, Nagpur and Jalgaon, people rushed to petrol pumps late at night. Within a short time, long lines of vehicles were seen. In some places, petrol stock finished quickly because too many people tried to fill fuel at once.
In parts of North Maharashtra, people woke up at night and went straight to petrol pumps after reading the message. In some areas, pumps had enough fuel for two days, but it got over in just a few hours due to sudden demand.
Western Maharashtra and Konkan also faced similar scenes. Petrol sales increased sharply in one day, and some pumps ran out of regular petrol. In a few places, only premium fuel was available.
In Vidarbha and Marathwada, the situation became tense, with some pumps putting up “no stock” signs. In a few areas, limits were set on how much fuel one vehicle could get to manage the rush.
Officials have said clearly that there is enough fuel in the country. The central government and local administration have confirmed that there is no shortage. They explained that this situation happened because people started buying fuel in panic after seeing false messages.
Authorities have appealed to citizens not to believe rumours and avoid unnecessary rush, as fuel supply is normal.
