Petrol shortage adds to bandh worries in B'luru

Ahead of the proposed Karnataka bandh on Saturday, more than 150 petrol bunks in the City went dry on Friday and shut for most part of the day sending panic waves among motorists.

Hundreds of motorists queued up outside the bunks in the morning. The panic buying and crowding led to traffic jams around fuel stations mainly in central parts of the City.
As per the officials, the shortage of fuel was triggered by a protest by the drivers and cleaners of the fuel tankers who were on a strike since Thursday near Devanagunthi village off Whitefield.
Stone throwing

The drivers were protesting against stone throwing by the villagers and assault on one of the truck drivers recently after a fatal accident involving a truck.

The drivers entrusted with the responsibility of transporting fuel from the IOCL plant to the City, went on a strike on Thursday demanding security for themselves from attacks on them.

Mallesh Gowda, owner of Banashankari Petrol Pump Service Station at Kadirenahalli, said: “The fuel got over by 10:30 am. A lot of customers panicked and some even started shouting slogans. The fuel supply was restored around 3:30 pm.”
Villagers blamed

The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) officials played down the matter and said the villagers had blocked the road on Thursday and were not allowing the trucks to ply. Also, the officials said that there have been several incidents in the past wherein the fuel tankers were pelted with stones to dissuade them from using the village road.

S Varadachari, General Manager, IOCL, Karnataka, said: “The matter was resolved in the afternoon and the situation was brought under control. As such there was no fuel shortage. The villagers had blocked the roads as they did not want the road to be used by the trucks. We spoke to the officials of the Food and Civil Supplies department as well and the matter has been resolved. It has been decided that the trucks will now  pass through the Hope Farm Road, Whitefield instead of the village road.”

Speaking with Deccan Herald, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies, said: “Our officials have sorted out the matter for the time being. There was a circular which was issued on the restricted usage of the road in question by the RTA in 2012. However, for the time being the circular has been withdrawn and the trucks will take an alternative road which will be slightly longer but will not affect the villagers.”

Supply restored

Meanwhile, the Bangalore Petrol Dealers Association President B R Ravindranath said: “Almost 150 fuel bunks in the City went dry on Friday and till afternoon there was no supply. By evening, the fuel supply was restored.”