Demand for LPG cylinders shoots up before Holi

ALLAHABAD: The rise in demand for domestic LPG gas cylinders ahead of Holi has left oil company officials in a fix. Through there is undisturbed bookings and supply of the domestic LPG gas cylinders to all 19 gas agencies operating in the city, the demand is difficult to meet as over 1.7 lakh consumers are seeking one additional LPG gas cylinder.
According to current status of bookings at gas agencies, most of the consumers who were given the supply within the scheduled timings, have applied again for a cylinder.As a result, there has been a surge in demand for domestic LPG cylinders at all 19 gas agencies.
Assistant manager, LPG Sales, Anil Khare told TOI: " There is day to day booking and supply of domestic LPG gas cylinders being offered to consumers". He added that domestic cylinders are being given to consumers on the basis of bookings.
He said they are trying to meet the rising demand. Oil company officials, however, claim that there is no such crisis and bookings and deliveries are being carried out without any delay. As per estimates, more than 18,000 bookings are being made in the city everyday.
Authorities at gas agencies said they are trying to clear the backlog of consumers who had made the bookings earlier. They added that because Holi, the demand has gone up by four times.
While the supply and distribution of cylinders from the bottling plant is done on day to day basis, the situation will be normal as oil companies officials are assuring to dispatch additional consignments.
As per reports of the association, there are over 1.73 lakh consumers that are registered at 19 authorised gas service centres across the city. Out of these, the maximum gas service centres belong to the Indian Oil (Indane) that has adequate centres.
LPG cylinder hawkers said the gap between booking and delivery date for cylinders increases during the festive season. One of the gas service centres in Kareli reported the gap to be as high as 15 days, while it was just seven days earlier.
"I made the bookings on February 8 and still running from pillar to post for delivery of the cylinder," said Afzal, a resident of Kareli. On Monday, people under the banner of Allahabad Gaurav Vikas Manch took out a funeral procession of LPG cylinders as a mark of protest and demanded the gas agencies to ensure adequate supply of LPG during Holi.