The three-day shutdown of petrol pumps across the Imphal Valley and adjoining areas caused widespread inconvenience to the public, with daily commuters bearing the brunt of the crisis. Many were forced to buy fuel from the black market at steep prices, while essential services were also affected.
Petrol pumps remained closed from December 11 to 13 due to two separate developments. A two-day total shutdown was enforced by CorCom, a conglomerate of insurgent groups active in Manipur, on December 11 and 12 in protest against President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to the state. This was followed by a one-day closure on December 13 called by the Manipur Petroleum Dealers Fraternity, condemning a bomb threat at the Ibudhou Pakhangba Filling Station located at Keikol on Koirengei Road in Imphal East district.
The prolonged closure hit commuters hard, especially those who rely on fuel for their daily livelihood. Several residents said they had no option but to purchase petrol from illegal sellers at inflated rates, with prices reportedly touching ₹150 per litre. Concerns were also raised over the quality and safety of fuel being sold in the black market.
A school van driver told India Today NE that the situation was extremely distressing. He said he usually spends around ₹500 to ₹600 daily on fuel to ferry students. With petrol pumps shut, he was forced to roam across several localities in search of fuel, paying much higher prices. “As a van driver, I cannot stop working because petrol pumps are closed. Since morning, I have been searching for fuel. These sudden shutdowns have made life very difficult, particularly for people from weaker economic backgrounds,” he said, urging authorities to ensure such disruptions do not recur.
Executive members of the Manipur Petroleum Dealers Fraternity acknowledged the inconvenience caused to the public, stating that the shutdown was a step taken under compulsion. They pointed to repeated threats, intimidation and extortion demands from unidentified groups as the reason behind their protest.
According to the fraternity, petrol pump operations are already under financial pressure due to government-regulated pricing, unofficial collections along highways and recurring monetary demands that dealers are unable to meet. Despite being providers of essential services, they said ongoing threats have made it increasingly unsafe to continue operations.
Strongly condemning the bomb threat at the Ibudhou Pakhangba Filling Station on December 6, the fraternity described the incident as a serious security lapse that endangered both the public and employees. They claimed that a hand grenade was allegedly recovered from the toilet complex of the filling station, along with a letter warning of severe consequences if certain demands were not fulfilled.
Following the incident, the fraternity submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur seeking an appointment to discuss issues related to extortion and security. However, they said no response has been received so far.
The December 13 shutdown, the fraternity clarified, was meant to press for an end to forced donations and intimidation, and to ensure that petrol pump owners are not pushed into financial distress for running essential public services.