Fuel Famine Drives Motorists To City Outskirts Nagpur: A growing fuel shortage has forced commuters to travel to the city’s outskirts in search of petrol and diesel, creating chaotic scenes at fuel stations along Wardha Road and Kamptee Road. With several pumps within the city limits either closing early or overwhelmed by demand, drivers are now braving long distances to refuel, only to face endless queues that have turned service roads into congested arteries. The situation has escalated rapidly, with tempers fraying as uncertainty lingers over when normal supply will resume. Kiran Tekam, a motorist heading to AIIMS in MIHAN to visit a patient, described his frustration after avoiding nearby pumps like Narendra Nagar and Chhatrapati Square due to long lines. “I thought the outskirts would be easier, but I’ve been stuck here for 15 minutes already, with several vehicles ahead of me,” he said, gesturing at the slow-moving traffic. The fear of running out of fuel has pushed many to fill up whenever possible, even if it means waiting for extended periods. Pankaj Borkar, a Jamtha resident working in MIHAN, waited over 40 minutes to refuel his bike. “I didn’t want to take chances. If there’s an emergency and I have no petrol, what will I do?” he said, echoing the concerns of others in the queue. Even daily commuters, accustomed to long routes, are surprised by the scale of the rush. Dilip Bhadoriya, an e-rickshaw driver operating between Jamtha and Khapri, noted that the situation has worsened dramatically. “I’ve never seen queues like this in the morning. Even yesterday wasn’t this bad,” he added. Akash Tambe, traveling to Chandrapur, expressed skepticism about the situation worsening. “City petrol pumps are not letting us fill beyond 2 litres of diesel.#nagpur #aiims #wardha_road #kamptee_road #mihan
