Why choice is running dry at Shillong’s petrol pumps
For Shillong’s motorists, the weekend ‘joyride’ is increasingly turning into a scavenger hunt as the search for high-performance fuel sends riders on a cross-town odyssey from Malki to Mawblei.
It began with a sound that shouldn’t have been there—a subtle grunt with every twist of the throttle. Amidst the idling engines of Laitumkhrah traffic, the motorcycle felt less eager and the acceleration rougher. While the bike had been running on the standard E20 petrol blend for months, the machine was finally beginning to protest. Then came the math at the pump. For a daily commuter, fuel consumption is a hard metric to ignore. A Rs 500 refill that once lasted nearly a week now barely covers four days. While rising prices mean that same note buys less volume, it doesn’t fully explain the drastic drop in range or the engine’s increasingly laboured rhythm.
Seeking a smoother run, this motorist, an SJ team member, began a search for higher-octane alternatives like XP95 or Power. The hunt, however, revealed a growing scarcity. From the pumps at Malki to the stations near Fire Brigade, premium options were non-existent. At one station, a nozzle marked “Power” was mocked by a handwritten sign hanging beside it: “Not Available.” When asked, the attendant simply shook his head: ” Bah, ym donPower ” (Brother, there is no Power).
The search finally ended at a fuel station in Mawblei where XP95 was actually flowing. But the discovery raised a larger concern regarding consumer choice. For most riders, a cross-town trek simply to find premium fuel is an impracticality. Unless one plans a dedicated trip or waits for the tank to run near empty, the neighbourhood option is almost always E20.
Whether E20 is the inevitable future of Indian fuel is a separate debate. The immediate reality for Shillong’s motorists is simpler: as alternatives disappear from local stations, they aren’t necessarily choosing the new blend—they are being compelled to use it because there is no other choice.
