Petrol sells for Rs100 per litre on black market

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 22

A litre of petrol is selling for Rs 100 on the black market in the city here as the daytime shutdown of markets and businesses, including petrol stations, continues for more than a fortnight.

The black-market price of petrol, which is otherwise commercially sold at Rs 75, soared in the city with roadside vendors selling it in used plastic bottles.

“We sell 1 litre of petrol for Rs 100. We have not adulterated it, trust me,” a black-market vendor selling petrol in the city said.

The black-market vendors dot the roadsides across Srinagar city as petrol stations remain closed during the daytime. Most petrol pumps in the city, including those located in the Lal Chowk and nearby areas, remain shut during the day and resume business only in evening.

The daytime shutdown has been continuing in the region since August 5 when the Union government announced the abrogation of Article 370.

The situation in the Kashmir valley has since remained tense even as the state administration has in recent days attempted to restore normalcy by relaxing restrictions in some areas and ordering reopening of primary and middle-level schools.

The administration has so far eased restrictions in areas falling under the jurisdiction of 50 out of 111 police stations in the Kashmir valley.

The shops and markets continue to remain shut for more than a fortnight now with no sign that there will be immediate reopening of key commercial neighbourhoods.

A shopkeeper in the city’s Jehangir Chowk area said he had not attempted to open his general store as he fears the situation could turn ugly any day. “I come to see if everything is ok at the store but I don’t open it. It is a difficult decision to resume things,” he said.

Passenger transports also continue to remain off the roads across the city with no busses plying on the routes anywhere. The only traffic that plies on the roads is private cars and bikes.

Fuel selling in used plastic bottles 

• The black-market price of petrol, which is otherwise commercially sold at Rs 75, soared in the city with roadside vendors selling it in used plastic bottles.

• “We sell 1 litre of petrol for Rs 100. We have not adulterated it, trust me,” a black-market vendor selling petrol in the city said.