Kolkata: The first Monday after the LPG supply disruption exposed the extent of the fuel crisis in Kolkata, with panic refuelling by auto drivers and domestic consumers leading to long queues outside LPG dispensing stations. Autos were yet to operate in full throttle across the city. Although the situation showed significant improvement during the day, commuters continued to face difficulties as more than 10% of autos remained off the roads, as per the Auto-Operators’ Welfare Association.Kolkata has 19 auto-LPG dispensing stations, but drivers said supply was still uneven, with some stations running dry earlier than expected. As a result, several auto drivers spent hours waiting in queues to refill their tanks instead of ferrying passengers.A manager at an LPG dispensing station in south Kolkata said demand surged suddenly over the past few days, and it is yet to be normalised. “After news of the fuel crisis spread, many drivers rushed to refill their vehicles. The pressure on the supply chain increased sharply,” the manager said. “We are trying to maintain supply, but queues are forming because refuelling demand is unusually high.”For many commuters, the disruption translated into longer waiting times and uncertainty during peak hours. Moushumi Dey, who was trying to reach Esplanade metro station, said, “I waited for 15 minutes to get a ride to the metro station,” she said. “From there I have to reach Sealdah to board a local train to Barrackpore.”Several passengers reported similar delays as autos were either unavailable or charging higher fares on some routes. Auto drivers said the biggest challenge remained the long waiting time at refuelling stations. Md Suhail, who drives an autorickshaw on the Park Circus–Dharmatala route, said he had to wait up to four hours at the Lichu Park LPG station near Ballygunge Phari.“The gas supply problem is not resolved yet,” he said. “I sometimes have to wait for over hours to refill. That means I lose several trips and my earnings go down.” Another driver, SK Shahnawaz, said he managed to complete only five trips before running out of fuel. “I called a friend to ask if there was any gas available nearby, but he was also in a queue at another station,” he said. “During Eid, this kind of crisis creates difficulties.“Businesses also felt the impact of the transport disruption. Mumtaz Ahmed, medical shop owner on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, said irregular services made it difficult for employees to reach work on time. “It became difficult for my staff to come to the shop because autos were not running regularly,” he said. “Now that the situation has improved slightly, there is some relief.”
