The Hindu : Scarcity drives motorists to public transport

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Scarcity drives motorists to public transport

By N. Ravi Kumar

Empty petrol pumps such as this one on Radhakrishnan Salai greeted motorists in many parts of the city on Thursday, as the truck strike continued. — Photo: T.A.Hafeez

CHENNAI APRIL 17. Day-four of the nationwide strike by truckers saw comparatively a few private petrol-driven vehicles on the city roads, as many motorists preferred public transport in view of the disruption in normal supply of petrol.

Though this protected them to some degree from the prospect of having to push their vehicles for a long distance to get fuel, several petrol bunks remained dry in the absence of fresh stocks. The commuters had to jostle for space in crowded buses and haggle over the fare with autorickshaws.

For those who opted to take out their vehicles, it meant a wait for the fuel at the bunks. Pavement shops that sell petrol in plastic containers, in violation of safety norms, made brisk business.

Complaints of petrol being sold at a premium over the fixed price of Rs.35.48 per litre continued even today, especially by bunks in the Southern suburbs.

Dismissing them as "stray cases", officials of the national oil companies said the situation had improved considerably with loads of fresh stocks supplied to many bunks, with police escort for the trucks. Convoys of trucks led by a police pilot jeep were seen moving at several localities since Tuesday night.

It included at least ten oil tanker lorries, thought to be carrying Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), with posters on the vehicles saying `emergency airport supply' and moving towards the Chennai airport this evening.

The Chennai City police in a press release asked the public not to panic as efforts were being initiated by the oil companies in association with them to move petrol to the bunks in private lorries and those belonging to the firms.

"As against the daily requirement of 200 tanker lorries for the city, 400 lorries were supplied", the release said, advising public to contact the police and traffic control rooms on 28555069/25385599/98400-17626 to seek any help with regard to truckers strike.

With three consecutive government holidays from Friday, the demand for petrol, a senior executive of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) said, was not expected to be much.

Sources among the striking truckers, however, maintained that their agitation was total and none of the private oil tankers vehicles moved the products. They claimed that vehicles transporting milk and water, which were exempted from the strike, were also likely to extend support to the stir. There was, however, a feeling of general discontent in the air among the working class as they went without work for the fourth consecutive day, while many of the industrial units working on a low inventory base started complaining about disruption to their manufacturing schedule.

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