The usual roar of three-wheelers on BT Road in north Kolkata has given way to an anxious silence, with a long line of green-and-yellow autorickshaws stretching from Belgharia CSTC bus depot to Baranagar Metro station.
Behind each wheel sits a driver like Raja Mondal, whose life is currently measured in hours lost. “I have been standing here for three hours today (Tuesday),” he says, looking at the stationary queue ahead. “On Monday, my friend stood for six hours. We have never seen a crisis like this before.”
For Raja and thousands of others in North 24 Parganas, the conflict in West Asia — thousands of miles away — has hit home with devastating speed.The ripple effect of the fuel shortage has paralysed the daily commute for thousands.
The math of survival has become nearly impossible for these drivers. Most autos in the suburbs run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). As official pumps run dry, many drivers previously turned to “kata gas”, an illegal practice of refilling from domestic cylinders. But even that shadow market has buckled; prices have skyrocketed from Rs 70–80 INR to over Rs 120 INR per kg, and even at that price, it is often nowhere to be found.
For Belgharia-based driver Laltu Hazra, the crisis isn’t just about the price of fuel, it is about the cost of time.
“It is not just about standing in line; it is about losing our daily earnings,” Hazra explains. “Yesterday, I waited seven hours at Rathtala and still got nothing. In those seven hours, I didn’t carry a single passenger. If I increase the fare now to make up for the lost day, the passengers get angry. What do we do?”
The scarcity is visible. According to Shyamal Sasmal, a driver and stand manager in Baranagar, the local infrastructure is failing to meet the need of the hour.
Of the several stations in the area Ghoshpara, Dunlop, and those behind the police station and Rubber Factory, only the Belgharia pump has any supply left. “I stood in line last night (Monday) from 7:30 pm, but they closed at 10pm before I reached the front. I have been back in line since this Tuesday morning. Let’s see when, or if, I get it,” Shyamal says.
Another auto driver Bappa Das who runs auto in Maniktala – Bhoothnath route said, “For Maniktalla, there is a queue from Rajabazar science college. We fear that the situation may get worse. We have been standing in a queue for 2-3 hours for gas. The entire route is dependent on the Maniktala petrol pump.”
With fewer autos on the road, workers and students have been left stranded at stands. The wait time for a simple ride has jumped to 15 minutes or more.
As the global fuel crisis continues to squeeze supply lines, the men who keep the city moving are left wondering how much longer they can afford to wait.
“For the last two days, I have been using a public bus that is too crowded, since I am not getting an auto while returning from the office,” said Ultadanga resident Pragati Rajshekhar, a sector V employee.
“Had never imagined that a war in that part of the world could impact poor people so fast,” Raja reflects. For now, he and thousands like him can only stay in line and hope they get the gas soon.