Pune: Several fuel dealers in Pune on Saturday began reporting supply constraints, particularly those dependent on supplies from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), after maintaining until Friday that there was no petrol shortage.Dealers said oil marketing companies had started rationing supplies amid rising demand and panic buying.Several dealers said the situation changed suddenly on Saturday, with supplies, especially from IOCL, being significantly reduced.A member of the Petrol Dealers Association Pune said the issue had become more visible on Saturday, particularly for pumps dependent on Indian Oil supplies. “IOCL supplies seem to have been affected,” he said.Explaining how the rationing was working, he added, “Suppose a dealer asks for 6KL (kilolitre) of petrol and 6KL of diesel. Companies are now saying you may get only 3KL of petrol and 9KL of diesel, or some similar combination. They are adjusting allocations and supplying reduced quantities instead of what was originally sought.”An IOCL official acknowledged that rationing had begun and said the supply situation had changed from Saturday. “From Saturday, supplies to pumps have been curtailed,” the official said.Explaining the scale of rationing, he added, “If a pump needs four compartments of petrol, we are giving only two. We are supplying nearly half of what is required.”The official said the issue was being driven by both supply constraints and a surge in demand, fuelled by public perception that fuel availability could worsen.“It is not only panic buying. Some fuel pumps are shutting down because they are not getting supplies. People are also hearing that the price may increase and are topping up more fuel than usual,” he said.Describing changing consumer behaviour, the official added, “People are buying fuel worth more because they fear supplies may stop or pumps may run dry.”Asked how long the rationing would continue, the official said there was no clarity yet.A dealer at an HPCL fuel pump in Kharadi said the rush at his outlet on Saturday remained similar to the previous few days despite reports of shortages.He said, “We are seeing the same level of crowds, but the supply is inconsistent. On Saturday, I received a proper supply, but there are days when I don’t receive anything at all.”He attributed the issue to lower dispatches by companies.A pump owner from Shivajinagar said supply adjustments had begun on Friday and companies were increasingly pushing mixed allocations of petrol and diesel. “My pump had remained shut since Friday. I received fuel supply only on Saturday,” he said.Explaining the pattern, he said, “Companies are telling dealers to take either 3,000 litres of petrol and 9,000 litres of diesel, or 6,000 litres of petrol and 6,000 litres of diesel. This is much less than the required quantity. They are trying to distribute available stock across pumps.”The dealer added that panic buying remained a factor. “People are worried. There was more rush in the last two to three days after the price increased. On Saturday, it was comparatively less. I just received petrol and restarted operations,” he said.
