Punjab Fuel Crisis: Two Pumps shut in Ludhiana, Jalandhar after Panic Buying

March 27, 2026

Amidst the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, a stir has arisen in Punjab regarding petrol and diesel supplies. Driven by public anxiety, crowds have gathered at several petrol pumps across Jalandhar.

Near BMC Chowk in Jalandhar, a petrol pump has been shut down after running out of fuel. Salesman Sudarshan Singh stated that the petrol stock was exhausted and consequently, the pump was closed due to a delay in the arrival of fresh supplies.

Situation in Ludhiana

In Ludhiana as well, people are rushing to refuel their vehicles. As a result, a petrol pump near Bharat Nagar Chowk has run out of petrol and has subsequently been closed. In Ludhiana, fuel is now being dispensed exclusively into vehicle tanks; the sale of petrol and diesel into jerrycans or other portable containers has been suspended.

Amritsar Situation 

In Amritsar, too, people have been flocking to petrol pumps since Friday morning to fill their vehicle tanks to capacity with diesel and petrol. In Chandigarh, the sale of diesel in drums has been halted. The situation currently remains normal in Pathankot, and there are no issues regarding petrol and diesel availability in Mohali either.

No shortage of fuel 

Meanwhile, Joginder Pal Singh Dhingra, President of the Petroleum Dealers Association, Amritsar, asserted that there is no shortage of petrol or diesel in the city. He noted that people are purchasing more fuel than necessary, a practice for which there is no actual need; he urged the public to purchase only the amount of fuel they intend to use.

What did Minister Sanjeev Arora said? 

Minister Sanjeev Arora appealed to the public not to create panic, reiterating that there is no shortage of petrol or diesel. He acknowledged, however, that LPG supply routes have indeed been disrupted. He stated that the situation would become completely clear by this evening. Based on the current circumstances, there is indeed a shortage of commercial LPG, with only 20 percent of the usual stock currently available. Efforts are being made to prioritize the allocation of this available supply for use in hostels, hospitals, and other essential establishments. There is no shortage of piped natural gas.