Surat: Gujarat has witnessed a sudden rush at petrol stations in several cities following widespread rumours of a fuel shortage as people rushed to the refuelling stations via social media. People went into a panic and the queues were long lasting for hours in places such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara.
People rushing to petrol stations after online messages were released touting a reduction or stop in the supply of petrol and diesel. Panic buying ensued and many residents tried to fill their tanks at the same time. In certain regions, people were waiting up to five hours for fuel.
Tension increased after reports came of some petrol pumps temporarily refusing to sell fuel. This fueled the public fear and drove more people to other pumps. In Surat and Rajkot, shortfalls in the supply and temporary closure of outlets worsened the situation.
Some feared the fuel supply might have been cut by as much as 50 percent, triggering fears of a possible quota system. This confused the public especially daily commuters and transport workers who are very dependent on fuel.
The Gujarat government and the oil companies reacted swiftly and said there is no shortage of petrol or diesel in Gujarat. They called the situation a “false alarm” driven by rumours and erroneous information.
No Fuel Shortage in Gujarat, Says Dy CM Harsh Sanghavi; Warns Against Rumours Amid Panic Queues at Pumps https://t.co/IoDVWuANeG pic.twitter.com/yum6P9goPw
— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) March 23, 2026
Senior officials confirmed that all the petrol pumps are adequately provided with stocks and that the supply is stable in the state of Gujarat. They also found adequate buffer stock at depots and terminals. Citizens were advised not to panic or believe in messages on WhatsApp or other social media platforms that have not been verified.
Authorities explained that the long lines were created mostly by panic buying and not by the actual shortage. When a large number of people purchase fuel at the same time there will be temporary pressure on retail outlets, even if there is enough fuel in stock overall.
Industry experts and dealer groups pointed to minor operational hiccups: technical problems, changes in payment systems and logistical challenges. Temporary weekend interruptions were also experienced to fuel availability in some pumps.
Another factor was the change of the bulk fuel supply. Reports say there were substantial industrial buyers who received less direct supply so more had to rely on retail pumps. This increased the demand in the public stations and contributed to the crowd.
The government warned that stern action would be taken against any person spreading false information or causing panic. Officials also said they would act against petrol pump operators who close pumps despite having enough stock.
To cope with the situation, oil companies have increased the supply and moved up the hours of operation to achieve smooth distribution. Authorities also called on people not to buy fuel unnecessarily or crowd the place.
Experts say the situation is temporary and will come back to normal soon. Officials assured that it will take a day or two before the supply of fuel stabilizes as operations return to normal and panic buying subsides.
