Panic booking triggers LPG rush; city distributors report supply strain

With the widening West Asia conflict disrupting energy supplies, panic booking of LPG cylinders amid fears of shortage has triggered long queues and a rush at distribution centres across parts of Delhi. Several distributors say the sudden spike in demand has created a temporary crisis in the local market.

Many distributors said the demand for cylinders has risen sharply in the past few days, forcing them to ask customers to wait as their available stock is unable to match the sudden surge in bookings.

A representative of Kiran Gas Services in Khan Market said the demand has increased by nearly 50 per cent over the past few days. "We are receiving so many calls that we are afraid to take any more. People are also coming to the agency in person, but due to the increased demand and limited stock, we are asking customers to wait for two days or so," he said.

Another distributor at Gole Market, Kayson Enterprise, said even customers who had received a cylinder a week or 10-12 days earlier were approaching the agency again for fresh bookings. "There are customers who already have two cylinders but are still approaching us. In such cases, we as distributors are also facing a crisis because we receive stock depending on the demand we project," he said. The distributor added that to get gas cylinder stock at his agency, he has to write to the companies and they take time to supply. Now with the sudden spike in demand, the agency is facing a crisis of limited stock and is also trying to ensure that its regular customers do not go to other distributors.

The government has revised the priority order for allocating domestically produced natural gas, placing LPG production alongside CNG and piped cooking gas at the top. At Jhandewalan, customers were seen standing in queues outside an agency with empty cylinders.