Demand-supply gap widens, Kolkata home kitchens fret as wait for LPG cylinders extends to 7-8 days

KOLKATA: Contrary to the Centre's claim that domestic LPG cylinders are delivered within two-and-a-half days of booking, consumers in Kolkata are now having to wait for more than a week for refills, as an unprecedented spike in bookings and logistical constraints strain the distribution system.

Dealers say the gap between booking confirmation and delivery widened to 7–8 days in many cases because the current replenishment and delivery infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with a sudden surge in demand. The problem was compounded by the temporary crash of the online booking system, forcing consumers to queue at distributor offices for manual bookings.




According to officials of oil marketing companies (OMCs), booking volumes shot up sharply in the past week. The average number of LPG bookings within a 48-hour period for Indian Oil Corporation stood at around 2.5 lakh on March 5, while the combined booking figure for all OMCs was 3.5 lakh. By March 11, these numbers rose dramatically to 5.9 lakh for IOC and 7.5 lakh across all companies.

An office-bearer of the Bharat Gas Distributors Association said the spike overwhelmed the physical distribution network. "With this unprecedented increase in bookings, it is difficult to deliver that many cylinders with the existing infrastructure and manpower. It will take some time to bridge the gap between booking confirmation and delivery," the distributor said.

On Friday, several LPG dealerships across Kolkata witnessed long queues as consumers turned up for manual bookings after OMCs temporarily allowed the facility in the wake of the online system failure. At some outlets, more than 100 customers waited for hours to register refill requests.

Asim Som, vice-president of the Indane LPG Distributors' Association and a distributor at Marquis Street, said around 150 people queued at his office since morning. "We could manually book about 100 cylinders today. People are asking for immediate delivery, but we are prioritising customers who booked earlier," Som said.

He added that dealers were instructed to strictly maintain the 25-day gap rule between two bookings, which further complicated matters during the ongoing Ramzan season, when LPG consumption rises in many households.

The delays left many residents anxious, especially with Eid-al-Fitr approaching. Karim Nawaz of Collins Street said he was trying to book a cylinder for a week without success. "Today I finally booked it manually, but the dealer could not say when it would be delivered. How will we celebrate Eid without gas?" he asked.

Soma Sarkar of Tollygunge faces a similar predicament. "I was told there is only a faint chance of getting the cylinder this month. My existing cylinder may run out any time, and I am not used to cooking on induction," she said.

Residents like Md Sajjul of Pemantle Street said the situation is particularly difficult for large families. "We have nine members at home, and gas is essential, especially during Ramzan. Our cylinder already ran out," he said. Dealers said delivery timelines may improve once booking volumes stabilise and system glitches are fully resolved.

(With inputs from Sarthak Ganguly)