The refuelling fren zy witnessed across Goa over Tuesday and Wednesday showed signs of easing on Thursday, as fuel dealers and government authorities re assured the public that there is adequate stock to meet the state’s demand. While long queues thinned at several outlets, a few fuel stations reported intermittent, short-lived stock-outs due to localised demand spikes. Dealers, however, stressed that these were isolated inci dents and not indicative of any broader supply disruption. The situation was largely triggered by panic buying fol lowing misleading messages on social media, which led to an abnormal surge in con sumption and temporary im balances at the retail level.
Reinforcing supply confidence, a fuel-laden vessel, MV Sanmar Sitar, carrying 18,000 metric tonnes of diesel and 8,000 metric tonnes of petrol, docked at the Mormugao port on Wednesday, ensuring fresh stocks for distribution across the state. Gaurish Dalvi of Mangurish Service Centre said his pump has been receiving regular fuel supplies without interrup tion. “We place orders daily as per our requirement and re ceive adequate stock. There is no issue with supply, and as of today, there has been no increase in fuel prices,” he stat ed. He added that while his outlet remains well-stocked, the rush has increased significantly after reports of short ages at other pumps. Dealers pointed out that a handful of outlets, particularly those linked to Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), experienced brief dry spells, prompting motorists to flock to nearby pumps. This, in turn, created a cascading effect, with even ade quately stocked outlets witnessing rapid depletion. Narahar Thakur, president of the Goa Petrol Dealers Association, said the state currently has sufficient re serves for at least 15 days and emphasised that the issue stems from consumption patterns rather than supply con straints. “On a normal day, a petrol pump may sell around 9,000 litres of petrol and 3,000 litres of diesel. However, due to panic buying, sales have doubled, with some outlets re cording up to 18,500 litres of petrol and over 6,000 litres of diesel in a single day,” he explained. He noted that Goa’s fuel supply chain remains robust, with bulk shipments arriving by sea every eight to nine days and continuous replenishment through tankers. “A tanker, MV Sanmar Sitar, carrying 18,000 metric tonnes of diesel and 8,000 metric tonnes of petrol, docked at the port on Wednesday. There is absolutely no disrup tion in supply. Goa, being a port state, is in a better position than many other regions when it comes to fuel logistics,” he said. Explaining the recurring queues, Thakur said that when one outlet temporarily runs dry, motorists use navigation apps to locate the nearest operational pump, leading to sudden crowding and rapid stock depletion there as well. “This cycle continues and creates an artificial shortage. In reality, tankers are constantly on the move, replenishing stocks within hours,” he said. He urged the public to avoid panic buying, noting that a full tank is sufficient for several days. “Even if there were any disruption, which is not the case, the available stock is enough for people to refill multiple times over the next two weeks. There is no need to queue up or stock excess fuel,” he said. Meanwhile, Ali Daruwala, PRO of the All India Petrol Dealers Association, flagged operational challenges arising from the sudden demand spike. “Oil companies have asked dealers to clear accumulated credit dues. With consecutive bank holidays, many dealers are unable to process RTGS payments immediately, which is adding to operational pressure,” he said. Another dealer, Carmeena Nazareth of Agencia Sequei ra, confirmed steady inflows. “We have received around 12,000 litres and have already placed orders for additional stock to meet the increased demand,” she said. Fuel dealers collectively appealed to the public to remain calm and rely on verified information, stressing that normal consumption patterns would quickly restore equilibrium. “There is no shortage of petrol or diesel in Goa. What we are facing is a temporary imbalance caused by panic behav iour. If people return to normal consumption patterns, the queues will disappear immediately,” the association presi dent said. According to official data, Goa has 55 fuel distributors across oil companies — BPCL (17), HPCL (33), and IOCL (5), in addition to one IOCL Army outlet for internal use — underscoring the breadth of the supply network. LPG stocks also remained stable. For commercial LPG, total availability stood at 59.26 MT, with a closing stock of 47.47 MT. Domestic LPG availability rose to 426.64 MT dur ing the day, with a closing stock of 258.76 MT, translating to approximately 1.62 days of cover. Authorities reiterated that there is no cause for concern, as supplies continue to be replenished regularly and the sit uation stabilises with the easing of panic-driven demand.
