D Rudramurthy, General Secretary of the Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union, said fuel costs are now consuming nearly half of a driver's daily income. "Drivers are losing Rs 600 to Rs 700 on gas alone out of a daily earning of Rs 1,500," he noted.

The crisis is compounded by erratic supply.

While government-run bunks such as HP and Bharat Petroleum offer slightly lower rates of around Rs 77 to Rs 78, queues are long and stock is limited.

Mohammed Pasha, an autorickshaw driver, highlighted the growing frustration. "I come to this pump as it is near my house to avoid wasting fuel travelling. We are only getting about four to five litres," he told DH, noting that this has become a routine ordeal over the last week.

Several drivers said the "full tank" option has effectively been stopped by stations to ration the limited supply.

Suresh Raja, another auto driver, said he was struggling after buying a vehicle recently. "I bought this auto four months ago. I am now in regret and in debt. At Rs 84 per litre, five litres cost me Rs 420. We can hardly make any profit."

Joseph Harish, a driver who uses only LPG, said those using other fuel types were less affected. "Our friends who drive CNG and electric autos are continuing their business; it is those of us with LPG autos who are struggling."

At a station on Mysore Road, around 50 auto drivers were seen waiting in queue for their turn.

Drivers said waiting for gas and returning without it had become routine. "We spend half our day wandering from bunk to bunk. Even if we find gas, the lines are kilometres long, and the stock often vanishes within an hour," said an auto driver near Bowring Institute off MG Road.

Fuel crunch

Auto unions demand relief: Bengaluru auto unions are seeking a Rs 20 emergency surcharge per trip due to rising LPG costs and shortages.

Income hit hard: Drivers say fuel now eats up nearly 50% of daily earnings, with Rs 600-Rs 700 spent on gas out of Rs 1,500 income.

Severe LPG shortage: Limited supply at government bunks leads to long queues and rationing, with drivers often getting only 4-5 litres.

No full tanks: Fuel stations have effectively stopped "full tank" refills to manage scarce stock.

Rising operational stress: Drivers report wasted hours searching for fuel, sometimes returning empty-handed.

Financial strain increasing: New vehicle owners are falling into debt and regret due to high fuel costs and low profits.

LPG drivers worst affected: Those using LPG are struggling more compared to CNG and electric auto drivers, who face fewer disruptions.