Fuel Crisis Deepens in Jamshedpur, 40 per cent of Petrol Pumps Run Dry

Jamshedpur: A severe fuel crisis has gripped the steel city of Jamshedpur and its adjoining rural belts, with petrol and diesel supplies collapsing across several areas. “No Stock” boards have appeared at many petrol pumps in rural areas, while fuel stations within the city have started rationing supplies amid shrinking inventories and mounting public panic. A total of 40 per cent of pumps in Kolhan region have gone dry.

The crisis has reportedly intensified due to reduced fuel allocations from depots operated by state-run oil companies, including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. The sudden shortage has begun affecting daily commuters, transport operators, businesses, and essential services across the region.

New Supply Formula

According to petrol pump operators, the situation worsened after oil companies introduced a new supply formula based on average sales figures from May last year. However, demand this year has surged sharply, creating a massive mismatch between consumption and supply.

A manager of Filling Station in Bistupur, stated that the pump earlier sold around 10,000 litres of fuel daily, but current demand has skyrocketed to nearly 18,000 litres. Despite the rise, supply quotas remain unchanged, leading to rapid depletion of stocks.

To prevent complete exhaustion of supplies, several city petrol pumps have enforced emergency restrictions. At the Jubilee Park fuel station in Sakchi, car owners are being given a maximum of 40 litres of fuel per vehicle. At the Sakchi Market HP pump, diesel sales have been capped at 150 litres. Meanwhile, at Mango’s Indu Automobiles outlet, regular petrol stocks have run out entirely, forcing customers to purchase costlier premium fuel.

Sale of Fuel in Cans Banned

Petrol pump owners have also banned the sale of fuel in cans and jerrycans to curb hoarding and black marketing.

The condition in rural areas such as Potka, Hata and Haldipokhar is reportedly even worse. Several small petrol pumps have completely exhausted their stock, while others have imposed strict limits of only ₹100 worth of petrol per customer. Long queues and chaotic scenes have become common as residents move from one locality to another searching for fuel.

Panic Buying Add to Woes

Adding to the crisis is widespread panic buying. Rumours of an extended shortage have prompted people to fill their vehicle tanks completely, further accelerating depletion of available supplies. Pump operators and officials have appealed to citizens not to hoard fuel and to purchase only as per immediate need.

The worsening shortage has also triggered questions over administrative preparedness in a city known as the industrial backbone of Jharkhand. Transporters fear that if fresh supplies are not restored quickly, commercial activity, freight movement, school transportation, and routine commuting could face severe disruption within the next two days.