Several petrol and diesel outlets shut down at 5:30pm on Monday, 15 October, as dealers agitated for a hike in their commission. This left the motorists in town with no other option but to queue up in front of privately-owned fuel stations in Begumpet, Somajiguda, Secretariat and other places.
The strike was not uniform due to differences in opinions amongst the striking dealers. The Greater Hyderabad Petrol And Diesel Dealers Association (GHPDDA) did not participate in the strike. The Confederation of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) claimed the most of its approximately 550 outlets were under operation from 8:30amto 5:30pm, while those oulets on highways were on from 7:30pm to 4:30pm to facilitate truck drivers.
G Nirajan, president of AP Indian Oil Dealers, said that their dealers would continue to operate for a single shift until the oil companies take note of their demands and resolve to meet them.
The GHPDDA president M Prabhakar Reddy, on the other hand, is of the opinion that "issues have to be solved amicably and not through agitations". He said that the outlets will keep running full-time as shutting them down would inconvenience the people.