Panic buying continues in Lucknow, fuel stockpiled in bottles and containers

As long queues and panic buying continued at petrol pumps across Lucknow on Friday, people no longer just filled their vehicles, but also stockpiled fuel in bottles and containers.

Across multiple fuel stations, residents were seen arriving with plastic bottles and cans, filling petrol for storage. In several cases, commuters first filled their bike tanks, returned home to transfer the fuel into containers, and then came back to queues to refill.

At an Indian Oil petrol station near Madhurima, Anuj Gupta, a Class 12 student, said his family had insisted on keeping all vehicles fully fuelled. Gupta, who owns two electric and two petrol vehicles, said he had already filled one scooty on Thursday and returned on Friday with his second bike.

“There is pressure at home to keep everything ready,” he said. However, he could only get fuel worth ₹500 due to a cap imposed at the station. “I will now go to another petrol pump to fill the remaining tank,” he added.

The manager of a petrol pump near Madhurima confirmed that panic buying has significantly increased daily demand. “Because of the rush, three tankers are being supplied daily,” he said, adding that the ₹500 cap on bikes was introduced to ensure equitable distribution.

“We want everyone standing in line to get fuel,” he explained.

At the Hazratganj petrol pump, long queues persisted through the day.

Amjad, who was waiting to refuel before travelling to his village in Barabanki, said he was not part of the panic buying. “I am here because my tank is empty, not because of rumours,” he said, although he acknowledged hearing about the ongoing rush.

Standing in the same queue, Sarthak Arora pointed out a noticeable shift in consumer behaviour.

“People who usually buy fuel worth ₹200– ₹250 are now going for full tanks,” he said.

While he expressed scepticism about the panic, he admitted taking precautionary steps. “I don’t completely believe what is being said, but it is better to stay prepared,” he added.

EV owner fills diesel in plastic bottles

At Bhootnath petrol pump, a man who primarily uses an electric vehicle was seen filling diesel in plastic bottles. Accompanied by a relative, he said the fuel was meant for his tractor and for emergency use. He requested anonymity but admitted to keeping at least one bottle at home as a reserve.

“Will store fuel in a container at my office’

Ramesh Yadav, a resident of Sadar and a generator mechanic, shared a similar approach. He said he had already half-filled his bike at a petrol pump near Nishatganj while on duty and was now topping it up again at another station.

“I will store this fuel in a container at my office,” he said, adding that he had followed the same practice a day earlier.

‘Stuck at pump for over 40 minutes’

The crisis has also begun to impact daily earners. Ashish Dubey, a food delivery partner, said he was stuck at the Hazratganj petrol pump for more than 40 minutes. “My earnings depend on the number of deliveries I complete. Because of this delay, I could not take many orders today,” he said, adding that the situation directly affects his daily income.

Police intensify monitoring

Joint commissioner of police (law and order) Babloo Kumar said police have intensified monitoring at fuel stations across the city. He added that patrol teams from every police station have been deployed to regularly visit petrol pumps to ensure law and order is maintained and to prevent any untoward incidents amid the ongoing rush.

Contrast at petrol pumps

There was a clear contrast in fuel sale policies across different petrol pumps. While some stations, including those at Badshah Nagar and near Madhurima, imposed limits of ₹500 for bikes and ₹1,500 for cars, others continued normal operations without restrictions.

At the Bhootnath petrol pump, where no such cap was enforced, the manager Gaurav Gupta said there was no immediate shortage. “Fuel stock is sufficient, and supplies are regular, so we have not imposed any limit,” he said.

Panic high in morning, eases slightly in afternoon

Though panic remained high during the morning hours, there were signs of slight easing by afternoon. The kilometre-long queues seen on Thursday appeared to shorten at some locations, but did not disappear entirely.

Despite assurances of adequate supply at several pumps, the fear driven rush continued to dictate public behaviour, with many choosing caution over calm.