From sick mothers to angry girlfriends, fuel queues hear it all | Lucknow News

Lucknow: Even as authorities repeatedly assure that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel, long queues at fuel stations across the city have triggered a wave of inventive — mostly amusing — excuses from residents eager to get their tanks filled.When workers of retail outlets informed riders of two-wheelers and four-wheelers of ample stocks of fuel and no need for panic buying, they made emotional appeals to outright dramatic claims, pump attendants say they are hearing it all. “Someone said his mother suddenly fell ill and he had to rush her to the hospital. Another claimed there’s a wedding at home and he is responsible for driving the bride,” said attendant Amit Kishore at a busy station in Gomti Nagar. Some reasons blended urgency with imagination. “A man told us his boss was flying in from Australia for an important meeting and he couldn’t risk being late. Another said he had to pick up relatives from the airport at odd hours,” Vikas Purohit at a Vikasnagar pump added. As the day progressed, the list of excuses grew longer and funnier. “One youth insisted his girlfriend would break up with him if he did not show up on time for a ‘last chance’ meeting,” said another fuel station worker, Vikram Kumar, at Telibagh pump, smiling. “Another claimed his dog had an emergency vet appointment,” Kumar added. There were also logistical justifications. Several customers said they needed to stock up because they had outstation travel plans, school runs for children, or elderly family members dependent on regular hospital visits. “One man said he had an exam centre across the city early morning and public transport was not reliable. Another said he runs a small delivery business and even one day without fuel would mean losses,” said a pump employee, Ratnesh Verma, in Aliganj. Meanwhile, some excuses bordered on the bizarre. “A youth said he had a ‘very important puja’ early morning and could not risk his car stopping midway. Someone else said his in-laws were visiting and he had to maintain ‘family prestige’ by picking them up on time,” said Firoz, an attendant at a fuel station in Hazratganj.