Odisha’s urban department advises vehicle pooling, ride-sharing practices

Odisha’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department has asked its employees to adopt vehicle pooling or ride-sharing practices to reduce fuel consumption amid the chaotic situation at filling stations across the State.Over the past three days, large crowds have been queuing up at fuel stations to refill their vehicles. The shortage of fuel in rural pockets has severely impacted the agriculture and fisheries sectors.The department has issued an advisory urging prudent and conscious use of government resources, particularly official vehicles and fuel.“As part of cost-saving and efficiency-enhancing measures, officers using official vehicles for meetings, inspections, field visits and other official engagements have been advised to adopt vehicle pooling or ride-sharing practices wherever feasible,” the department said in a statement.“Such collective transport arrangements will significantly reduce avoidable fuel expenditure, improve administrative efficiency and contribute meaningfully to national energy conservation efforts. Senior officers attending meetings or events will coordinate the pooling mechanism,” it added.The department has also urged officers and employees to refrain from using official vehicles for lunch outings or other non-essential short-distance trips during office hours. Instead, officials have been encouraged to opt for shared transport and environment-friendly alternatives for shorter distances.While the State government has not issued any directive to fuel stations to ration supply, vehicle owners have alleged that fuel is being dispensed in limited quantities.Meanwhile, the State government on Saturday (May 16, 2026) convened a meeting with oil marketing companies to review the situation, reiterating that there is adequate fuel stock in Odisha. Oil companies attributed the crisis to panic buying, which has led to an artificial shortage, and said supplies from various depots have been expedited. Published - May 17, 2026 12:54 am IST