Panic booking triggers LPG rush, long queues

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 to 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 it. 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. In Malviya Nagar, a large crowd gathered when a cylinder delivery van arrived at a distribution point.

PN Seth, president of the All-India LPG Distributors’ Association, said the rush was largely driven by panic among consumers.

“Customers are worried that they may not get a cylinder amid the situation in the market and are ordering in panic. Consumers can get cylinders in a gap of 25 days after they get one, but now they are booking in 10 days. However, there is no shortage of LPG in the country as of now,” Seth said. Kamlesh, a resident of Vikaspuri who was waiting outside a distribution agency with an empty cylinder, alleged that booking requests were not being accepted.

“It has been more than two weeks now. We have been coming every day, and they keep saying we will get it tomorrow. Now they are also taking empty cylinders. “From where should we pay Rs 100 as fare every day? And who has so much time to come in the heat and stand in the crowd only to be told to come tomorrow? What should we do? Where should the poor go?” she said. Another customer, Rajkali, said she had been waiting since morning but had not received a cylinder. “I came at 10 am and now it is 1 pm, but I still have not received a cylinder. How will we cook now?

“There is no alternative for us. We cannot afford electric appliances and cannot cook on wood. How many days can we survive on outside food?” she said.

Following US-Israeli strikes inside Iran and Tehran’s sweeping retaliation across the region, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has sharply declined, insurance premiums have surged and energy markets have responded with immediate volatility. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and nearly a third of global LNG shipments pass through this narrow channel linking the Gulf to global markets.

A distributor in Vikaspuri said part of the problem, along with technical issues, was confusion among customers regarding booking cycles.