CHENNAI: For the past few days Chennai has been reeling under a fuel shortage. This means that most petrol pumps have run out of stock, and the ones that still have stock are seeing massive crowds of motorists queuing up for hours on end to get a little fuel. For instance, crowds thronging two petrol pumps at Ekkaduthangal around 10 am caused a traffic backup stretching as far as the Kathipara flyover. This impasse lasted at least 45 minutes, even as the heat continued to rise. Unable to reach the point of congestion from the Guindy side, traffic cops trying to clear the roads said they had to rely on their colleagues from Ashok Nagar, where the roads were empty, to track back and lend a hand.Similar scenes were seen all across the city, with traffic policemen running around trying to chase away motorists hogging the roads. Arterial roads were badly affected by obstinate crowds outside petrol pumps that braved the searing heat and refused to come back later. A worse state of affairs prevailed on smaller roads, with the crowds completely blocking traffic.At Shanthi Colony local autorickshaw drivers took the lead in diverting traffic to the wrong side of the road as the usual path was completely blocked by waiting cars and bikes. Even good Samaritans such as these were put to considerable hardship by irate motorists who told them that directing traffic was none of their business.Motorists who had gotten in queue and wanted to leave could not do so, hemmed in as they were. Cooperation with petrol pump staff or with one another was at a minimum, with motorists flat out refusing to budge from their spots.“I am not asking you to let me get ahead. I am asking you to let me get out. You will get your petrol sooner if you let me leave,” shouted a man from his car, at a petrol pump on Poonamallee High Road, even as droves of motorists pointed over their shoulders and shrugged.In all, it was a truly torrid Monday. The searing heat, combined with the traffic jams that almost brought the city to a halt, ensured that.
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