Auto Mafia Controls Nagpur Transport, Passengers Forced to Walk in Extreme Heat Nagpur: As the city swelters above 42°C, passengers arriving at the main railway station in Sitabuldi are forced into an exhausting walk with heavy luggage, with app-based cab services still unavailable in station premises due to the fear of the autorickshaw mafia. Senior citizens, women, and children are among the worst hit, as autorickshaw operators dictate fares in the absence of an organised transport system at one of Central India's busiest railway junctions. The situation is compounded by delays in launching app-based cab services, months after Central Railway awarded the tender to BharatCabs for dedicated operations. Sources said the rollout is pending due to the mandatory no-objection certificate from a committee headed by the district collector, with members from the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), and city traffic police. While the RTO has the authority to approve fare structures, the final regulatory clearance is still awaited. Officials indicated that documentation is largely complete, but procedural hurdles continue to stall the project. In the meantime, passengers are forced to walk with their luggage outside the station towards Jaistambh Chowk and nearby areas around Tekdi Ganesh temple to take a cab. Commuters have flagged exhaustion, dehydration risks, and safety concerns, especially during peak heat hours. The absence of a designated pick-up zone within the station has led to congestion on roads at both gates of the railway station, with private vehicles halting haphazardly. Railway authorities, meanwhile, have intensified action against unauthorised autorickshaws operating near the station.#nagpur #rto #district_collector #sitabuldi_railway_station #bharatcabs
Around 30 petrol pumps ran dry in Nagpur on Wednesday, prompting the district collector to urge oil companies to ensure maximum supply. Collector Vipin Itankar directed officials of petroleum firms to address the issue after members of the Federation of Maharashtra Petroleum Dealers Association (FAMPEDA) highlighted the shortage. The dealers, along with oil company representatives, met the collector to discuss supply constraints caused by restricted operating hours and limited credit facilities. The Nagpur administration also coordinated with Wardha authorities to keep the Nayara Energy depot operational beyond 2:30 pm, as the facility’s timing restrictions were slowing down tanker refills. Dealers reported that the strict payment deadlines imposed by some companies, such as BPCL’s Borkhedi pump requiring cash before 2:30 pm, were disrupting refilling processes. Oil company officials were asked to relax payment terms and allow credit to ease the situation. The collector emphasized that there was sufficient stock of petrol and diesel in the district, though consumer behavior had shifted dramatically. Panic buying had led to abnormal spikes in fuel purchases, with two-wheeler riders buying up to Rs 600 worth of fuel instead of their usual Rs 100, while four-wheelers increased their average spending to Rs 2,000–6,000 compared to Rs 300–600. The collector’s note stated that the district had 10,500 kilolitres of petrol and 3,500 kilolitres of diesel in storage, referencing the Borkhedi depot. Amit Gupta, FAMPEDA president, called for consumer restraint, while Viraj Lamba, a dealer at Indora Chowk, noted that panic buying persisted on Wednesday. Officials claimed operations could be managed smoothly with support from the companies.#nagpur #nayara_energy #district_collector #fampeda #borkhedi_pump
