Highway closure turns fuel into Kashmir’s scarcest commodity

Srinagar, Sep 16: Kashmir is in the grip of an unprecedented fuel crisis as the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has cut off petroleum supplies to the Valley.

The commuters said that fuel stations across several districts were either shut or running dry within hours, leaving them anxious.

Long lines of cars, motorcycles, and auto-rickshaws could be seen outside the few petroleum pumps still dispensing petrol and diesel. In Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, and Pulwama, handwritten signs at the petroleum stations read ‘No Petrol’ and ‘Stock Finished’.

“I have been at three different petroleum stations since morning, but couldn’t get even a litre of petrol. It’s my third day of trying, and I can barely manage a bottle,” said Irfan Ahmad of south Kashmir.

Many drivers operating school buses said that if the issue continues, they would have to suspend operations, as they are on the brink of suspension.

“I have fuel left for just another day. If petroleum tankers don’t arrive, we will have to stop picking up students. Parents are already worried,” said a school bus driver queuing at a petroleum station in Srinagar.

Meanwhile, the marriage functions and construction business have also been hit.

With marriage season at its peak, families rely on vehicles for transporting guests and on petrol-run generators for lighting, catering, and music.

“My daughter’s wedding is next week, and managing errands has already been affected as there is no fuel,” said Farooq Ahmad of Pulwama.

In Hazratbal, Bashir Ahmad said his construction work had to be stopped as there was no petrol to run machines.

“We need a generator for cutting tiles and running other machinery. There was a power maintenance shutdown in our area today, and the work had to be stopped altogether as neither petrol nor electricity was available,” he said.

Locals said that the shortage had led to scenes rarely witnessed before.

They said Police personnel had been deployed at major fuel stations to manage the surging crowds.

At a petroleum pump in the city, senior officers were seen stepping in to help distribute fuel themselves as tempers flared.

“We have to ensure there’s no chaos. People are desperate, but we are trying to keep order,” said a policeman at a petroleum pump.

The petrol pump owners appealed to people to stay calm.

They said when people panic and try to fill drums and bottles, stocks deplete faster.

The administration says it is working on multiple fronts to ease the crunch.

On Tuesday, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg, said that efforts were underway to restore the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway for the movement of six and eight-tyre trucks currently barred due to landslides and road damage.

“Authorities are prioritising the entry of vehicles carrying essential supplies, including petroleum, LPG cylinders, and vegetables into Kashmir as shortages of fuel and rising costs of perishables have triggered public concern,” he said.