The fuel crisis continued to grip Cuttack, causing inconvenience to commuters as several petrol pumps across the city remained shut on Saturday. The closure of fuel stations triggered public concern, with residents struggling to access petrol amid the disruption.

Amid the growing crisis, Cuttack Mayor Subhash Singh staged a unique protest to draw attention to the issue. In a symbolic demonstration, he arrived at one of the closed petrol pumps on a bicycle along with his supporters, highlighting the hardships faced by the public due to the ongoing fuel shortage.

During the protest, Singh criticised the government over rising fuel prices and urged authorities to provide relief to consumers. He demanded that instead of allowing fuel prices to rise, the government should reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) burden to bring down costs and ease pressure on the common people.

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The protest has sparked political debate over fuel pricing and supply management, while residents continue to hope for an early resolution to the crisis and restoration of normal fuel services in the city.

“The situation is the same across Odisha, like Cuttack. Thousands of people have gathered at the petrol pumps. However, the government and the oil companies are saying that there is sufficient oil in the state. We request the government and the secretaries to see the ground reality. We request that the government not increase the price, as it will affect the market. The government should reduce GST burden to bring down costs and ease the pressure on the common people,” said Cuttack Mayor Subhash Singh.