Chandigarh caps sale of petrol as truckers' strike sparks supply disruption fears, panic buying
A wave of protests swept through various states in the last two days as drivers and truckers expressed their dissatisfaction with stringent provisions in the new penal law for hit-and-run cases.
- Jan 2, 2024,
- Updated Jan 2, 2024 6:30 PM IST
The Chandigarh administration on Tuesday capped the sale of petrol per person as people queued up at petrol pumps across the city, fearing that the truckers' agitation over the hit-and-run law may hit fuel supply in the coming days. Now, people with two-wheelers can procure fuel up to 2 litres or a maximum value of Rs 200, while those with four-wheelers can buy 5 litres or a maximum value of Rs 500, reported NDTV.
The District Magistrate said this measure was a precautionary step to manage the current situation until normalcy was restored. "Efforts are going on to resume supply of fuel to Chandigarh in coordination with Oil Marketing Companies and Punjab and Haryana," the statement read.
A wave of protests swept through various states in the last two days as drivers and truckers expressed their dissatisfaction with stringent provisions in the new penal law for hit-and-run cases.
People were seen queued up at petrol pumps across states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, fearing that protests may disrupt the fuel supply.
The criminal code law, which repealed the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), provides up to 10 years of punishment for fleeing an accident spot and not reporting the incident.
Maharashtra truck drivers staged "rasta roko" protests at many places, raising the spectre of a shortage of fuel in some places. As per officials, truck drivers briefly blocked traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in the Mira Bhayandar area in Thane district.
Roads were also blocked in Solapur, Kolhapur, Nagpur, and Gondia districts, officials said, adding that the situation in Navi Mumbai and other places is under control.
CHHATTISGARH
Drivers of commercial buses and truckers stopped work and staged protests at several places in Chhattisgarh demanding the withdrawal of the provision in the new penal law. More than 12,000 private bus drivers across the state announced a strike on Monday, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded at bus stations in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon among other cities. The protests caused inconvenience to several commuters as stranded people were seen trying to make alternative travel arrangements.
WEST BENGAL
Hundreds of truck and commercial vehicle drivers blocked the national highway number 2 near Dankuni toll plaza in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Sunday for around two hours. According to the police, the agitators started blocking the road at around 10:30 am at Chanditala by burning tyres and parking their vehicles in the middle of the road.
PUNJAB
A significant number of commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses, refrained from operating across Punjab on Monday. Truck drivers initiated a protest on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur Road in Moga, disrupting traffic. As per transporters, truck drivers also assembled at the Shambhu border near Ambala, obstructing the movement of trucks.
MADHYA PRADESH
In Bhopal, drivers staged protests at Lalghati and stopped city buses and vehicles, and some protesters also gathered at Board Office Square in MP Nagar. Road blockades were seen in some places in the state due to protests by drivers. Long queues were witnessed at petrol pumps due to fear of disrupted fuel supply in various cities. In Indore, buses were parked on the road at Gangwal bus stand as part of the protest.
The Chandigarh administration on Tuesday capped the sale of petrol per person as people queued up at petrol pumps across the city, fearing that the truckers' agitation over the hit-and-run law may hit fuel supply in the coming days. Now, people with two-wheelers can procure fuel up to 2 litres or a maximum value of Rs 200, while those with four-wheelers can buy 5 litres or a maximum value of Rs 500, reported NDTV.
The District Magistrate said this measure was a precautionary step to manage the current situation until normalcy was restored. "Efforts are going on to resume supply of fuel to Chandigarh in coordination with Oil Marketing Companies and Punjab and Haryana," the statement read.
A wave of protests swept through various states in the last two days as drivers and truckers expressed their dissatisfaction with stringent provisions in the new penal law for hit-and-run cases.
People were seen queued up at petrol pumps across states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, fearing that protests may disrupt the fuel supply.
The criminal code law, which repealed the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), provides up to 10 years of punishment for fleeing an accident spot and not reporting the incident.
Maharashtra truck drivers staged "rasta roko" protests at many places, raising the spectre of a shortage of fuel in some places. As per officials, truck drivers briefly blocked traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in the Mira Bhayandar area in Thane district.
Roads were also blocked in Solapur, Kolhapur, Nagpur, and Gondia districts, officials said, adding that the situation in Navi Mumbai and other places is under control.
CHHATTISGARH
Drivers of commercial buses and truckers stopped work and staged protests at several places in Chhattisgarh demanding the withdrawal of the provision in the new penal law. More than 12,000 private bus drivers across the state announced a strike on Monday, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded at bus stations in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon among other cities. The protests caused inconvenience to several commuters as stranded people were seen trying to make alternative travel arrangements.
WEST BENGAL
Hundreds of truck and commercial vehicle drivers blocked the national highway number 2 near Dankuni toll plaza in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Sunday for around two hours. According to the police, the agitators started blocking the road at around 10:30 am at Chanditala by burning tyres and parking their vehicles in the middle of the road.
PUNJAB
A significant number of commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses, refrained from operating across Punjab on Monday. Truck drivers initiated a protest on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur Road in Moga, disrupting traffic. As per transporters, truck drivers also assembled at the Shambhu border near Ambala, obstructing the movement of trucks.
MADHYA PRADESH
In Bhopal, drivers staged protests at Lalghati and stopped city buses and vehicles, and some protesters also gathered at Board Office Square in MP Nagar. Road blockades were seen in some places in the state due to protests by drivers. Long queues were witnessed at petrol pumps due to fear of disrupted fuel supply in various cities. In Indore, buses were parked on the road at Gangwal bus stand as part of the protest.