Dubai: Petrol stations across the UAE faced a mad rush late on Thursday and early Friday.
Motorists were seen queuing up at petrol stations across the country before the price increase came into force by midnight.
At the stroke of midnight on August 1, petrol prices in UAE went up, following the removal of government subsidies on fuel for cars.
"I have never seen such a rush at petrol stations," said Siby Varghese, who stays in a building opposite to an Adnoc petrol station in Sharjah.
"It was the same in most places in Dubai," said Siby's friend Robin John who travels from Sharjah to Dubai for work.
Similar rush was reported from Abu Dhabi and other emirates of UAE late on Thursday. "It's all because of the price hike that came into force on August 1," said a petrol station attendant in Dubai.
The new prices for the month of August were announced by the Ministry of Energy on July 27 after a high-level meeting with the officials from the distribution companies and the Ministry of Finance.
Octane 95 (Special), commonly used by motorists, has gone up by 42 fils from Dh1.72 per litre at present to Dh2.14 per litre -- or 24 per cent -- from August 1, the UAE Ministry of Energy has announced on Tuesday.
Diesel prices have been reduced from Dh2.90 to Dh2.05 per litre.
The price of diesel has been reduced by 85 fils per litre.
