Originally Posted by Zappo

All these logistics and other supporting arguments etc are just that, arguments. Actually oil companies are trying to cut their losses. They have some strong men sitting at the helm and they decided that since they can not directly fight it out with the legalities and govt pressure they will do it the crooked way.

So they create scarcity of regular fuel and then sell the so called "premium" fuel at higher prices. They have reduced supply to most of the bunks. However none of them are willing to acknowledge this and feign ignorance. Recently the AP civil supplies dept issued a notice to all the fuel supplying companies to mend their ways immediately failing which action will be initiated. They all denied such problems even exist and gave the same excuses of these being stray cases and all. Since then of course the situation has improved somewhat at least in Hyderabad. The problem still remains acute in interior andhra.

They are trying similar tricks in TN, Karnataka etc. The govt in these places need to be strong enough to initiate action against the topmost honchos of these oil companies based out of their respective states. They will immediately fall in line.

and why shouldnt they cut their losses? if they continue to bleed and then finally collapse, no amount of disciplining will restore the oil supply. if the govt, and more importantly, the people dont understand whats happening, the oil companies will have to do this.

[snaronikar]

AFAIK, even if there is a strike of lorries, the essential commodities will not be hit like milk, oil, vegetables, fruits etc.

As far as Govt is concerned, they are less worried about the common man right now as they want to save the govt and mustling up the support for passing the nuclear deal. Prices of essential commodities are rising, loan rates are at peak, inflation rate is over 11%, and they want to save the nuclear deal. The common man's plight is never heard. Hope this time people should give a fitting reply to this govt in the elections.

[theMAG]

Any status updates from the fuel shortage reported in Bangalore?

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Any status updates from the fuel shortage reported in Bangalore?

today morning, I checked with IOC bunk in Marathahalli, they didnt had regular diesel stock. Only premium. Didnt check in evening, as it was raining. But observed that BP bunk opposite Manipal hospital was crowded.

[HappyWheels]

Most of the pumps in my area (4 of them) are closed. This includes Deva Gowda petrol pump. Hope I'll be able to get thru!

[amitoj]

The petrol bunk near the Madiwala Check Post had normal petrol yesterday evening. I tanked up there.

[benbsb29]

I was able to tank up on normal petrol from the HP bunk near Cosmos on Monday evening. This after i refused to tank up with premium petrol from the very same pump in the morning.

Dont really know about the situation now. Guess this tank up should last me a while. Will evaluate the scene then.

[theMAG]

I tanked up too at the Banshankari IOC pump today- no sign of any shortage there. No queues, no rationing - nothing.

[praJEEP]

None of the pumps were functioning from 10 to 12 this morning in malleswaram. but now everything is normal i just tanked up a while ago.

[supremeBaleno]

Chennai seems to be back to normal after a couple of dry-days. Put 4litres of petrol (unleaded) in the bike yesterday. There was a guy who filled in 10litres in his bike - guess he did not want to be caught unaware again.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

There was a guy who filled in 10litres in his bike - guess he did not want to be caught unaware again.

Same here Biju. Better safe than sorry.

The day before yesterday, I managed to fill in around 18 liters of petrol at a bunk on OMR (opp. Accenture). Luckily there was no rush of 4 wheelers. Only 3 cars ahead of me. But scores of bikers and folks with bottles and cans to fill petrol. The attendant said no more than 1000 rupees worth of petrol for cars. That was a relief.

Yesterday, I tanked up again at 7 liters to full tank. Dont want to take a risk as it takes approx. 5 liters for me to get to work and back everyday.

Regular unleaded was in stock at a bunk near my home. One good thing with the "scare" is that the authorities have enforeced that regular fuel is back and there's no compulsion to fill premium fuel. Hope it stays this way.

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

and why shouldnt they cut their losses? if they continue to bleed and then finally collapse, no amount of disciplining will restore the oil supply. if the govt, and more importantly, the people dont understand whats happening, the oil companies will have to do this.

I would have appreciated this point had they been private entities. Reliance, Shell and other private entities decided that they can not sell at such administered prices and hence priced their fuel higher. Sure enough. They are very much entitled to run their business the way they deem fit. Reliance thought its wise to close down fuel retailing and I would say that was again a prudent move in the present circumstances.

However, the OMCs are not some private entities that can take those decisions on their own. They are controlled by the government. They have no qualms about seeking relief measures, oil bonds etc from the government. Under those circumstances they do not or should not have the right to take such calls. Its the government that will have to take the decision. And they are the ones who need to think beyond partisan politics and take the call.

Moreover, you are forgetting that fuel comes under the provisions of ESMA. If tomorrow Private Tanker Operators decide to go on a strike the government threatens to invoke ESMA and put them behind bars. How can the OMCs take such arm twisting steps behind the back and cause hardships? And if the bosses there are such wise guys with guts why do not they say that chuck the govt, we will sell fuel only at such and such prices. That will be completely over the board. However they obviously do have the galls to do so. All they can do is to snipe at common man behind their back. That is what is galling here.

In the end I can only say that tomorrow if I do not like the ruling of my bosses I can not go behind their backs and sabotage organizational moves. Some heads need to roll if this is the tactics these OMCs are planning to adopt.

Whether the pricing and the recoveries that the OMCs are making is correct is a totally different debate (I believe its probably not, just as you said...).

[theMAG]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Reliance, Shell and other private entities decided that they can not sell at such administered prices and hence priced their fuel higher.

Right Said Fred! Now, after Shell stopping regular petrol, and Reliance closing all their bunks, reports say that Shell also has closed their outlets starting from Mangalore.

[HappyWheels]

Just got back from filling fuel. Seems like there are stock available (regular & premium). But the person at the pump did mention that in 2 days time they will run out of stock, with the truckers strike and it will be back to square 1.

But, hey, the same bunk did not have fuel yesterday. So with the truckers strike, how did he get stock today???!!!

[Fillmore]

The HP petrol pump next to Forum had Premium & Regular petrol today.

I think petrol companies supply through their own tankers which are not participating in the strike.
I certainly saw a Bharat Petroleum tanker downloading petrol up at a bunk in JP Nagar