Fuel tanker strike passes off without major effects on city

The strike called by tanker drivers and helpers had minimum effect on the public due to the combined factors of lean demand on Sunday and the resumption of supply before the stations ran dry.

"We don't have many customers on Sunday as people stay at home and those going out would have filled their tank on Friday or Saturday," said a worker at the petrol pump near Mantri Mall.

At the petrol stations at Shivananda Circle and Cauvery Theatre on Bellary Road, there was a shortage of diesel. "As supply was frozen, we had to send away many customers coming to buy diesel. But we had enough stock of petrol to last the demand," workers said.

Until afternoon the few fuel stations that exhausted its fuel reserves were shut but in the evening, fuel tankers were seen supplying the fuel to the stations.

"Till afternoon fuel was out of stock, at around 4 pm the tankers came and re-filled the station. Also, not many customers turned up at the stations today," said a worker at the petrol pump near 8th mile, Tumakuru road.

The workers at all three petrol pumps, however, noted that any continuation of the strike would have hit their business. "The demand for diesel and petrol goes up on Monday. We would have had a tough time if the supply was not resumed by then," Rachappa, a worker, said.