Uttar Pradesh Fuel Sales Skyrocket by 77% Following Shortage Rumors
In a startling development, Uttar Pradesh witnessed an extraordinary surge in fuel sales this week, as baseless rumors of a potential shortage triggered widespread panic buying across the state. According to data from oil marketing companies (OMCs), petrol and diesel sales soared by an unprecedented 75-77% between March 24 and March 26, drastically outpacing normal consumption patterns.
Sharp Increase in Daily Sales Figures
Prior to March 23, the state's average daily sales stood at approximately 1.7 crore litres of petrol and 3.1 crore litres of diesel. However, from Tuesday, March 24, sales began climbing steadily, culminating in a peak on Thursday, March 26. On that day, frenzied queues formed at fuel stations in multiple districts as consumers rushed to stock up amid the unfounded scarcity fears.
Detailed sales data reveals a progressive escalation:
- On March 24, petrol sales rose by 4%, while diesel sales increased by 19%.
- By Wednesday, March 25, the trend intensified, with petrol demand jumping 38% and diesel demand up 36%.
- The situation reached a climax on Thursday, March 26, when petrol consumption surged by 77% and diesel by 75%, setting new records for the state.
Eastern and Central Districts Hit Hardest
The spike was particularly severe in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh. On March 26, Deoria and Kaushambi led with petrol sales growth of 222% each, followed closely by Gorakhpur at 214%, Prayagraj at 212%, Pratapgarh at 205%, Bhadohi at 197%, and Shravasti at 192%.
Diesel sales mirrored this pattern, with Pratapgarh recording a 230% increase, Deoria at 226%, Shravasti at 189%, Maharajganj at 181%, Azamgarh at 177%, Jaunpur at 173%, and Gorakhpur at 172%.
Even Lucknow, the state capital, saw an 80% rise in both petrol and diesel sales. Typically, the district consumes about nine lakh litres of petrol and eight lakh litres of diesel daily. However, within municipal limits, petrol sales skyrocketed by 109% and diesel by 100%.
Official Reassurances on Fuel Availability
Sanjay Bhandari, Executive Director of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and State-Level Coordinator of Oil Marketing Companies, provided context to the surge. He noted that petrol consumption in Uttar Pradesh reached nearly 2.9 crore litres on March 26, compared to about 1.5 crore litres on the same date last year. Diesel consumption also spiked sharply, hitting 5.1 crore litres versus 2.8 crore litres recorded on the corresponding day in 2025.
Addressing concerns over supply, Bhandari firmly stated that there is no shortage of petrol or diesel anywhere in Uttar Pradesh. He highlighted that the state's 13,168 petrol pumps each maintain four to five days of fuel stock, adhering to standard operational norms. Additionally, OMC depots currently hold 15 to 18 days' combined stock of petrol and diesel.
Bhandari referenced regular briefings from the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which confirmed that India possesses close to 60 days' worth of crude oil reserves, with continuous and uninterrupted inflow. Emphasizing the absence of any crisis, he appealed to consumers to avoid panic buying, assuring that supplies remain stable and adequate across the state.
LPG Refills Also Affected by Sudden Demand
The panic buying extended beyond petrol and diesel, impacting LPG refills as well. On Thursday, against a daily demand of 11 lakh LPG refills, 13.31 lakh cylinders were booked statewide. Of these, 7.83 lakh cylinders were delivered by 4,107 distributors.
Bhandari explained that due to the heightened demand, the state is now seeing around 11 lakh LPG refill bookings per day on average, leading to a temporary backlog of nearly 3.7 days. Uttar Pradesh has approximately 4.85 crore domestic LPG consumers, further straining distribution networks during this period of unusual activity.
