Scuffles, long queues, postponed travel plans and hard bargaining with autorickshaw drivers were the inevitable fallout in Bangalore as most fuel outlets ran dry on Thursday, pushing the city into a virtual oil crisis on the second day of Oil PSU Officers’ nationwide strike.

Motorists were forced into lengthy queues near the outlets fed by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and Shell to fill up their tanks in the city even as other fuel outlets displayed “No stock” signs.

While Shell is a private company, HPCL officers have kept off the strike, offering some respite to motorists.

HPCL caters to over 20 per cent of the city’s needs, while Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) and private players meet the remaining requirement.

B. Ashok, IOCL General Manager, Karnataka, told The Hindu that only officers from the level of Deputy General Manager (DGM) upwards reported for work.

While fuel is available at depots, it could not be transferred to tankers and hence to outlets because of non-availability of supervisory officers. Though senior officers had been posted at depots, they could handle only emergency requirements, Mr. Ashok said.

Greater Bangalore requires 1,150 kilo litres of petrol and 1,900 kilo litres of diesel every day.