Fuel shortage triggers chaos at Narmadapuram petrol pumps:Long queues force vehicle owners to buy expensive premium petrol instead

Long queues of vehicles were seen at petrol pumps across Narmadapuram on Tuesday evening as residents struggled to get fuel. In several cases, people reportedly waited for nearly two hours for petrol and diesel. Petrol pump operators blamed reduced supply from oil depots for the situation, while district officials insisted there was no fuel shortage in the city. Three petrol pumps run dry There are around eight petrol pumps within Narmadapuram city and its nearby 3-4 km radius. Of these, three pumps — including the Police Welfare petrol pump — have reportedly remained out of petrol and diesel for the last two days. On Tuesday evening, the Bharat Petroleum pump near the BJP office also ran out of regular petrol. However, fuel was still available at pumps located outside the city limits. In Narmadapuram, regular petrol is priced at Rs 114.67 per litre, while premium “Speed” petrol costs Rs 124.05 per litre. With regular petrol unavailable at several outlets, many vehicle owners were forced to buy the premium variant at nearly Rs 10 extra per litre. District Food and Supply Officer Neeta Kori said there was no overall fuel shortage in Narmadapuram and that officials were gathering information from petrol pump operators to understand why the situation developed. See, three pictures Petrol pump operators blame delayed supply Iqbal Ali, operator of the Bharat Petroleum pump, said the outlet usually sells around 7,000 litres of petrol daily. He explained that because Sunday was a holiday, fuel tankers from the depot were delayed. According to him, a fresh tanker was expected to arrive by Tuesday night. Staff at the Police Welfare petrol pump also said tankers were not reaching on time, resulting in depleted petrol and diesel stocks. They added that only limited fuel had been reserved for emergency use and a new tanker was expected by Wednesday morning. Fuel prices increased four times this month Oil companies on Monday raised petrol prices by Rs 2.61 per litre and diesel prices by Rs 2.71 per litre across the country. In Madhya Pradesh, fuel rates have increased by nearly Rs 3 per litre following the latest revision. This was the fourth fuel price hike in May. Fuel price hikes in May 2026 Overall, petrol and diesel prices have become nearly Rs 8 per litre costlier this month. Rising diesel prices likely to impact daily life Experts say the increase in diesel prices could have multiple side effects on consumers and businesses. Transportation costs may rise Higher diesel prices are expected to increase truck and transport charges, making vegetables, fruits and grocery items brought from other states more expensive. Farming costs could increase Farmers may face higher operating costs for tractors and water pump sets, which could eventually increase food grain prices. Public transport fares may go up Bus fares, auto-rickshaw charges and school transport fees could also rise due to increased fuel costs. Why are petrol and diesel prices rising? Officials said the primary reason behind the latest price hikes is the rise in global crude oil prices. Before the Iran-US conflict, crude oil was trading at around $70 per barrel. It has now crossed $100 per barrel in the international market. Oil companies have reportedly been under pressure because of rising crude prices and increased losses, leading to repeated fuel price hikes. How fuel prices are calculated Fuel prices in India are determined based on international crude oil rates and the value of the rupee against the US dollar. Government-run oil companies revise prices daily under the dynamic pricing system. Several taxes and charges are added before fuel reaches consumers. Main components of fuel pricing Base price of crude oil: India imports nearly 90% of its crude oil requirement. Prices depend on international crude rates. Refining and company charges: Costs of refining crude oil into petrol and diesel, along with company margins, are added. Central government excise duty: The Centre imposes excise duty and road cess uniformly across the country. Dealer commission: Petrol pump owners receive a fixed commission on fuel sales. State VAT: State governments levy Value Added Tax (VAT), which differs from state to state. Madhya Pradesh has comparatively higher VAT rates, making fuel costlier than in neighboring Uttar Pradesh districts. Fuel prices had remained stable since 2024 Petrol and diesel prices had remained unchanged since March 2024. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the government had reduced fuel prices by Rs 2 per litre to provide relief to consumers. Although fuel prices in India are technically revised daily based on the 15-day average crude oil price, political sensitivity often delays frequent revisions. Oil companies facing heavy losses According to the government, public sector oil companies such as Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have been facing losses because of high crude oil prices. Petroleum Ministry Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma said oil companies are suffering losses of nearly Rs 30,000 crore every month on the sale of petrol, diesel and LPG.