Madhya Pradesh Fuel Shortage Rumours Trigger Panic Buying at Petrol Pumps

Officials across Indore, Ujjain, and Bhopal have assured citizens that there is no real crisis, attributing the long queues to misinformation circulating on social media.

Long queues snaked outside petrol pumps across several districts of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday as unverified rumours of an imminent fuel shortage triggered panic buying among residents. The state administration, however, moved swiftly to quell the fears, assuring that petrol and diesel stocks are sufficient for months.

Panic Spreads Across Districts

The rush was most visible in districts including Jhabua, Barwani, Maheshwar, Indore, and Ujjain. Reports of pumps running dry began surfacing after rumours, allegedly linked to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, spread through local communities. In Agar Malwa, crowds gathered from early morning, with one fuel station exhausting its reserve quota by nightfall. Supply was restored only after a tanker arrived the following morning.

Administration Assures Ample Stock

Amid the growing anxiety, officials stepped in to clarify the situation. Bhopal Food Controller Chandrabhan Singh Jadaun confirmed that the city currently holds a reserve of 58.79 lakh kilolitres of petrol and diesel. According to official estimates, this stock is sufficient to meet local demand for the next two and a half to three months.

"We have no shortage. The supply chain is functioning normally," Mr. Jadaun stated, appealing to the public not to believe in baseless rumours.

Association Labels Crisis Claims 'False'

The Madhya Pradesh Petrol Pump Owners Association also moved to dispel the panic, stating that the reports of a statewide crisis were exaggerated. Association President Ajay Singh clarified that only a small fraction of pumps—roughly 5%—were facing temporary operational issues.

"These are not due to a lack of fuel but due to new advance payment mechanisms with oil companies," Mr. Singh explained. He noted that some operators are in the process of clearing dues and arranging advance payments, causing brief interruptions in supply at isolated locations.

Daily Supply Remains Uninterrupted

Fuel depots in Bhauri, which serve the Bhopal region, continue to dispatch normal volumes to 192 petrol pumps in the city. Data from the Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum depots indicate a steady outflow of approximately 12 lakh litres of diesel and 9 lakh litres of petrol daily.

The Indore district administration echoed similar assurances, confirming that the supply of petrol, diesel, and domestic cooking gas remains stable and is being regularly maintained.

Officials Urge Calm

Authorities have reiterated that the sudden surge in demand was artificially created by misinformation, not a genuine supply constraint. With over 4,200 petrol pumps across the state and an annual consumption of 1,200 tonnes of petrol and 1,600 tonnes of diesel, officials maintain the network is robust enough to handle regular demand.

As the rumours subside, district collectors have urged citizens to rely only on official channels for information. The administration has confirmed that measures are in place to ensure that normalcy returns to fuel stations across the state within hours.