‘Panic buying’ forces hundreds of petrol pumps to shut in Andhra, CM Naidu orders action

Saturday saw petrol sales of over 2,000 kilolitres more than the average in the state, officials said, attributing this to panic spread by some social media posts on the war in West Asia

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed district authorities to take action to prevent panic buying of fuel in several cities and towns, which has led to the closure of over 400 fuel outlets on Sunday.

The Chief Minister directed district collectors to immediately implement an action plan to address the issue and submit a report by evening on the measures taken.

Sources said that over the weekend, there was panic buying due to alarming posts on social media that the US-Iran war would escalate, leading to a fuel shortage. Thousands of people lined up outside fuel stations at several locations, purchasing more fuel than required, officials said.

Officials at the Chief Minister’s Office said that most of the fuel outlets that closed by Sunday afternoon did so to prevent panic buying rather than due to empty stocks. Several district collectors directed local petrol pumps to close temporarily to prevent panic buying.

Chief Minister Naidu held a teleconference with Chief Secretary G Sai Prasad and senior officials to assess the situation. Officials informed the Chief Minister that out of the total 4,510 fuel outlets in the state, nearly 421 had been shut.

They said that 10,345 kilolitres of petrol and 14,156 kilolitres of diesel had been supplied to dealers on Saturday, and that panic buying had led to a heavy rush at many outlets.

The officials said that under normal circumstances, daily sales in the state stood at an average of 6,330 kilolitres of petrol and 9,048 kilolitres of diesel. However, due to public concern over fuel shortage, fuel purchases have risen sharply. On Saturday alone, petrol sales touched 8,489 kilolitres and diesel sales increased to 10,556 kilolitres.

Officials explained that the sudden increase in sales has caused stocks to deplete rapidly at several outlets. Despite enhanced supply, long queues were seen at petrol pumps because of panic-driven purchases. They also informed the Chief Minister that bulk purchases in drums by the aqua sector were creating additional pressure on supplies.

The Chief Minister directed officials to implement an action plan to resolve the problem and submit a report to him. District officials have been directed to check if fuel stations have stocks, and to stop fuel disbursement if they notice unnecessary buying.

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed district authorities to take action to prevent panic buying of fuel in several cities and towns, which has led to the closure of over 400 fuel outlets on Sunday.

The Chief Minister directed district collectors to immediately implement an action plan to address the issue and submit a report by evening on the measures taken.

Sources said that over the weekend, there was panic buying due to alarming posts on social media that the US-Iran war would escalate, leading to a fuel shortage. Thousands of people lined up outside fuel stations at several locations, purchasing more fuel than required, officials said.

Officials at the Chief Minister’s Office said that most of the fuel outlets that closed by Sunday afternoon did so to prevent panic buying rather than due to empty stocks. Several district collectors directed local petrol pumps to close temporarily to prevent panic buying.

Chief Minister Naidu held a teleconference with Chief Secretary G Sai Prasad and senior officials to assess the situation. Officials informed the Chief Minister that out of the total 4,510 fuel outlets in the state, nearly 421 had been shut.

They said that 10,345 kilolitres of petrol and 14,156 kilolitres of diesel had been supplied to dealers on Saturday, and that panic buying had led to a heavy rush at many outlets.

The officials said that under normal circumstances, daily sales in the state stood at an average of 6,330 kilolitres of petrol and 9,048 kilolitres of diesel. However, due to public concern over fuel shortage, fuel purchases have risen sharply. On Saturday alone, petrol sales touched 8,489 kilolitres and diesel sales increased to 10,556 kilolitres.

Officials explained that the sudden increase in sales has caused stocks to deplete rapidly at several outlets. Despite enhanced supply, long queues were seen at petrol pumps because of panic-driven purchases. They also informed the Chief Minister that bulk purchases in drums by the aqua sector were creating additional pressure on supplies.

The Chief Minister directed officials to implement an action plan to resolve the problem and submit a report to him. District officials have been directed to check if fuel stations have stocks, and to stop fuel disbursement if they notice unnecessary buying.