LPG Gas Cylinder Crisis in India Live Updates: Crowded platforms tell stories of migrant workers returning home amid LPG crisis

Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi on Tuesday reviewed the distribution of LPG cylinders and the status of the piped natural gas (PNG) network across the state in the backdrop of disruptions in energy supplies due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The meeting was held via video conference and attended by deputy commissioners (DCs) from all districts.

Rastogi directed officials to ensure last-mile delivery of LPG cylinders, with a focus on rural areas. Officials maintained that there is no shortage of domestic LPG in Haryana and that the situation remains similar to the corresponding period last year.

An official statement said this reflects proactive planning and close coordination between the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) — and the state government.

In another development, OMCs have resumed full commercial LPG supplies to hotels, restaurants, dhabas and industries from March 28, in addition to essential supplies. The move is expected to provide relief to the hospitality and food service sectors and support commercial activity across the state. The statement added that commercial establishments can register with the respective OMCs to ensure timely and uninterrupted LPG supply.

During the meeting, DCs were asked to closely monitor the distribution of 5-kg cooking gas cylinders and PNG connectivity in their districts, address any bottlenecks in booking and delivery, and ensure timely issuance of new LPG connections, particularly for beneficiaries under welfare schemes.

According to the statement, Rastogi emphasised that the government is committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to clean cooking fuel and that the distribution system must remain responsive at all times.

Commissioner and Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, J Ganesan, informed the meeting that domestic LPG supply across the state remains uninterrupted.

Officials said that in March, OMCs supplied a total of 54.39 lakh domestic LPG cylinders in Haryana. Of these, IOC supplied 23.36 lakh cylinders, BPCL 18.83 lakh and HPCL 12.21 lakh, indicating a wide distribution network across urban and rural areas.

The review also focused on the distribution of 5-kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders, which are commonly used by migrant labourers, small households, street vendors and small eateries. Between April 1 and April 5, 2026, a total of 4,730 FTL cylinders were sold across the state. IOC supplied 1,294 cylinders, BPCL 2,422 and HPCL 1,014.

The Chief Secretary directed DCs to further strengthen the availability of 5-kg cylinders at the grassroots level. The Centre has also asked states to double the daily allocation of these cylinders to improve access and affordability.

At Patna Junction, platforms are filling up with tired families carrying bags, bedding and small bundles of belongings. As long-distance trains from Delhi, Gujarat and cities in the south arrive, men, women and children step down slowly and head towards the exits. Some clutch steel containers and plastic sacks, while others hold the hands of exhausted children. Their journeys have been long, but the reason for returning is simple — they can no longer afford to cook in the cities where they work.

Around 12.30pm, the arrival of the Magadh Express from New Delhi brings a surge of returning workers. A similar scene plays out at about 2.20pm with the Brahmaputra Mail from Delhi. Trains such as the Azimabad Express from Gujarat and the Ernakulam Express from the south continue to bring more workers back each day, a station master at Patna Junction said on condition of anonymity.

The same pattern is visible at Danapur railway station, where migrants are arriving from Bengaluru on the Sanghamitra Express and from Gujarat on the Udhna Express.

Many of those returning are from districts such as Siwan, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Darbhanga and Saharsa. Several migrant workers are leaving their jobs in metro cities after struggling to secure LPG cylinders for daily cooking.

Bikash, a coolie who has worked at the station for 12 years, said the shift in passenger flow is noticeable. “The rush is not like the pandemic, but workers are coming in higher numbers due to the LPG crisis in the last two weeks, especially from Delhi,” he said.

Among those who got off the Brahmaputra Mail on Tuesday was Manoj, a resident of Punpun who had been working at a construction site in Delhi. He returned with his wife and two children. “Vendors are charging Rs 500 per kg for LPG, which only lasts us for two days. With our limited salary, it was not possible to continue at this rate,” he said.

For Sonu, a security guard at a residential complex in Noida, the situation worsened when cooking fuel ran out. “When the cylinder ran out, we ate on the streets for a few days because we were not allowed to cook using coal or wood within the residential area,” he said. Sonu earns Rs 6,000 a month and also pays for his brother’s education. With rising living costs, he said continuing in the city had become impossible.

Nishi Devi, a househelp returning to Bhojpur with her three children, described the struggle to arrange food. “My employer provided for us initially, but when they faced a crisis, we were left to fend for ourselves. We cannot afford cylinders at black-market prices along with rent. At home, I can cook using cow dung cakes to feed my children. It has been four days since we had a proper meal.”

Ramu, a factory worker travelling from Chennai to Saharsa, said the cost of fuel had become unbearable. “I spent two days' wages just to buy enough gas to cook one meal. It is better to be unemployed at home than to starve in a big city.”

Sunita, who worked as a cook in Mumbai, said the situation had deteriorated quickly. “The small shops that used to refill our cylinders have closed or tripled their prices. We have no choice but to go back to the village chulha.”

A senior official from the labour department said around 2,500 migrant workers have returned to Bihar so far, many affected by the LPG crisis. Most of them are factory labourers or workers employed in dhabas and small hotels.

The official added that a survey has been launched over the past two to three days to track returning migrants and understand the reasons behind their return. Information is being collected at the panchayat level.

He said special control rooms have been set up and helpline numbers issued in view of the current geo-political situation to assist migrant workers. “Workers are calling from several places to inquire mostly about the LPG situation, we inform them and increase their awareness regarding the recent govt mandates and also provide them with any other assistance they require,” he said.

According to estimates from the labour resources and migrant workers welfare department, nearly 48 lakh people from Bihar work outside the state in places such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

After weeks of disruption sparked by the West Asia conflict, Mumbai's hospitality sector is moving towards a more permanent fix to its fuel crisis. Nearly 2,000 hotels and restaurants, largely in south Mumbai, are preparing to switch to piped natural gas, or PNG, in a bid to escape the uncertainty, delays and daily struggle of securing commercial LPG cylinders.The strongest response has come from south Mumbai, where demand is high despite infrastructure challenges. Dense development and underground utility congestion have limited pipeline expansion in several pockets, yet nearly 60% of applicants are from the area. According to hotelier body AHAR, close to 100 restaurateurs are lining up daily to apply.

Gujarat has adequate supply of petrol, diesel and LPG, with both central and state govts closely monitoring the situation in view of developments in West Asia, said officials of the oil companies.

"There is no need to panic as there is no shortage of fuel in the state," said Sanjib Behera, state head, Gujarat State Office, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), adding that all their retail outlets were functioning normally with robust supply chains.

As of April 1, the state has 6,688 fuel outlets — including 5,133 run by public sector oil companies — along with 16 depots, 11 LPG bottling plants and 1,042 LPG distributors. Officials said a spike in sales was observed in late March due to panic buying, but supplies remained stable.

In the LPG segment, authorities said there was no ‘dry-out' situation anywhere in the state. On April 4, a total of 1.77 lakh refill bookings were recorded, while deliveries stood at 2.43 lakh, indicating active clearance of pending orders. Digital adoption remains high, with 88% of bookings made online and 85% of deliveries authenticated through DAC-based systems.

At a time when concerns over cooking gas supply have emerged in parts of the country, a village in eastern Uttar Pradesh has turned self-reliant, with biogas powering kitchens of over 125 households at nearly half the cost of LPG. Ekauni village's initiative has drawn attention for its cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits.

The biogas plant, installed with the support of a Pune-based clean energy company, supplies gas to around 125 families in the village, which has a population of about 500-600.

Nagendra Pratap Singh, a local farmer, said he has been running a cowshed with around 200 cows since 1995, but the disposal of cow dung had long been a challenge.

Bengaluru is facing a growing transport disruption as an acute shortage of auto LPG has forced a large section of the city’s autorickshaw fleet off the roads, leaving commuters struggling with last-mile connectivity.

Nearly half of the city’s autos are reportedly idle, as drivers are unable to access fuel amid long queues and erratic supply. Autorickshaws, a key mode of daily transport for office-goers, students and short-distance commuters, have become scarce, particularly during peak hours.

The situation has been worsened by the closure of a majority of private LPG dispensing stations. Industry estimates suggest that nearly 80% of over 300 private auto LPG outlets in Karnataka are currently non-operational due to global supply disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia.

OMCs have claimed that Uttar Pradesh has recorded 28,210 new PNG consumers in the last one month. The 13 city gas distribution (CGD) companies have 20.94 lakh consumers in the state. Notably, according to data from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), over 2.39 crore ?households have been covered with domestic PNG ?network, but the adoption rate is very low among consumers.

With piped natural gas (PNG) supply capped at nearly 55% of average consumption, industries—especially MSMEs—are operating below capacity, disrupting production cycles and planning. Industry bodies say restricted supply, rising gas prices and delays in new connections have compounded the crisis, forcing several units to scale down output or explore alternative fuels. The situation is particularly challenging for gas-dependent sectors, where inconsistent supply has led to inefficiencies and uncertainty in operations. Concerns are growing that prolonged instability could further impact regional industrial output.

To manage mounting financial pressure, industry representatives have proposed a shift from the current one-month advance deposit system to a weekly billing and payment cycle linked to actual consumption. At present, companies are required to maintain hefty security deposits, which have surged alongside PNG prices, locking up crucial working capital. During a meeting with Avantika Gas Ltd, MSMEs urged officials to adopt a seven-day advance deposit model, arguing it would improve liquidity and align payments with real usage. Industry leaders say such a move would reduce financial strain, support smoother operations, and help units navigate the ongoing supply crisis more effectively.

At several fuel stations across Bengaluru, autorickshaw drivers are waiting in queues for up to four to five hours to refill LPG. Many are forced to visit multiple outlets before finding available stock, while some have begun parking their vehicles near stations in anticipation of fresh supply. The uncertainty has disrupted daily earnings and made it difficult for drivers to plan their work schedules.

Indian Oil Corporation Limited said it has stepped up supply to meet the surge in demand, increasing daily distribution from 43.5 metric tonnes in February to over 68.5 metric tonnes since April. However, officials admitted that infrastructure bottlenecks—such as a limited number of dispensing stations and low capacity—are preventing supply from fully meeting demand.

The price gap between public and private outlets has further worsened the situation. Auto LPG is priced at around ?89.5 per litre at PSU stations, compared to ?99–105 at private pumps, driving more customers towards government-run outlets.

Authorities have advised drivers to temporarily switch to petrol, noting that nearly 70% of Bengaluru’s autorickshaws have dual-fuel capability. Similar trends are already being seen in smaller towns.