Hyderabad, April 27 --  Somewhere between Langar Houz and Asif Nagar, a man on a motorcycle was doing the arithmetic of desperation - how much fuel was left in the tank, how far the hospital was and whether the queue at the next pump would be shorter than the last.

He had already checked the stations near his home. Boards up saying "no stock," reminiscent of the situation seen a month back. 

"I have to go to the hospital. How will I manage?" he told Siasat.com.

He is not alone. Since Saturday night, "no stock" boards have reappeared outside petrol pumps across Hyderabad - in Alwal, Trimulgherry, Rajendranagar, Nampally, Asifnagar, Jirra, Mehdipatnam and stretches of the Old City. Where fuel is available, queues are very ...