Fuel shortage disrupts weekend travel plans for city dwellers The ongoing fuel scarcity across India has significantly impacted the weekend travel plans of many city residents, who were initially looking forward to a getaway following a public holiday. Citizens are now facing uncertainty about whether to venture out of the city or stay home, fearing that the situation may worsen. Many have expressed skepticism about the government and local authorities’ assurances regarding the availability of fuel. Milind Garde, a taxi fleet owner, shared that his business is being affected as vehicles get stuck in long queues at fuel stations in areas like Akola and Amravati. “Our clients are inconvenienced because our vehicles were stuck in these queues while returning from day-long tours,” he said. Garde noted that while he is receiving regular booking inquiries for the weekend, confirmations depend on whether his fleet can secure enough fuel to complete trips. A businessman from East Nagpur, who had booked a train ticket for a trip to South India, expressed reluctance to proceed. “I’m reconsidering this tour because the crisis is pan-India, and I’m worried about what might happen during the journey,” he said. Similarly, human resource consultant Amjad Khan canceled a planned road trip to Buldhana and Sambhajinagar due to fears of getting stranded. “We’ve called off the trip because we’re worried about being stuck on the way,” he explained. A civil contractor, who needs to travel to Bidar in Karnataka for a site visit, took precautions by asking someone in the destination to arrange 100 liters of diesel for his return trip. Sanjay Mankar, president of the Tadoba Gypsy Ecotourism Welfare Society, highlighted the impact on ecotourism, stating that the Rs 1,000 daily fuel cap per vehicle is hindering operations.#amravati #akola #fuel_shortage #milind_garde #east_nagpur
