While taxi stands, like this one at Mumbai Central, bore a deserted look, the oil strike left commuters with no choice but to squeeze into the over-crowded buses that were still running. The lucky managed to enter, the rest walked.
While taxi stands, like this one at Mumbai Central, bore a deserted look, the oil strike left commuters with no choice but to squeeze into the over-crowded buses that were still running. The lucky managed to enter, the rest walked.u00a0 It was not Satyam, but stocks plunged to a low, at a number of petrol pumps in the city yesterday as Mumbai was gripped by a fuel crisis that eased out only late in the evening. Panic-stricken Mumbaikars and weary commuters vented their ire at petrol pumps and on the roads, as they waited for fuel and that elusive cab or auto to take them to their destination.
At the domestic airport in Santacruz, a scuffle broke out because of the rush of cars amongst some drivers. A Skoda owner even hit a security guard. Finally, desperate commuters paid the few autos Rs 500 for a short ride home, while cabs were charging Rs 1,000. Scream un-fare (pun intended), but there was nobody listening, on a day when public transport held the hapless people to ransom.
Similar scenes were witnessed at Mumbai Central station where passengers realised that the cabbies were in no mood to go by the meter. Droves of passengers walked out to take a bus.
While many petrol pumps simply put up signs saying there was no petrol, it did not stop people from waiting outside. They hoped that the strike would be called off and stocks would return soon. The Saat Rasta petrol pump and a petrol pump at P D'Mello Road decided to do some rationing. It gave bikers Rs 200 worth of petrol maximum, while car owners could have Rs 500 worth of fuel, maximum in a take it or leave it, move.
At the packed Lotus petrol pump in Oshiwara, police presence ensured things did not get out of control. Finally, as news broke in the evening that the strike had been called off, tense Mumbaikars who had struggled to reach work returned home with a feeling thatu00a0oil's well that ends well.
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The lull |
The storm |
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| Kitchen crisis |
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I purchased a stove and five litres of kerosene as a precautionary measure. The situation could have left us with empty stomachs.
- Vinita Singh, a housewife from Kandivli
We stopped filling vehicles and gave preferences u00a0u00a0to domestic consumers who use piped CNG for cooking.
- Neera Asthana, spokesperson, Mahanagar Gas Ltd
The LPG shortage hasn't affected us as yet, but it willu00a0 be bad if the supply is cut. Does the government want u00a0us to start cutting wood in the jungle?
- Pratik Khatwani, a resident of Thane and owner of a manufacturing company |
| Inputs: Vedika Tripathi and Rita Ghose |
| Pics: Vishal Kelkar, Datta Kumbhar. |
