Petrol pump strike: Daily commuters bear the brunt

Thiruvananthapuram: Thousands of daily commuters in the capital had to bear the brunt of the half-day strike declared by a section of petroleum dealers in the city.
The strike was declared by the members of All-Kerala Federation of Petroleum Traders, against the attack on staff at fuel stations. Though it was announced three days ago, it didn’t get much publicity and many motorists who ventured out to work on Monday morning were surprised seeing nearby petrol pumps remaining closed.

The Supplyco pumps at Statue Junction and Vellayambalam were the only solace for motorists in the city. The MG Road stretch from Statue Junction to Spencer Junction was crowded with vehicles leading to frequent traffic snarls till noon. Police had a tough time managing the large number of vehicles, while the working petrol bunks had assigned additional staff on duty.

“As we knew about the strike, additional staff were deputed on duty during the hours of strike. Usually, there are four staff on duty, which has been increased to seven. The only difference from regular days was that there people were refuelling their vehicles at a meagre amount than the regular days, considering the rush and long queue. Mostly there is bulk refuelling on Mondays, being the first working day of the week,” said Rajeev Kumar, assistant salesman at the petrol pump of Civil Supplies Corporation at Statue.

A set of drivers were seen forming a separate queue to buy fuel in bottles. Those who had planned a short journey borrowed the empty bottles to refuel the vehicles, while other had to patiently wait for their turn in the scorching heat.

“I came to the fuel station, more than an hour ago. I have a long trip today, so these bottles of fuel will not be sufficient for the journey. And it was nearest fuel station from my home,” said Biju Chandran, an autorickshaw driver from Enchakkal.

Similar was the situation at the petrol pump of Civil Supplies Corporation in Vellayambalam, where a long queue of motorists waited to refuel their vehicles till noon hours.