Now, cylinder delivery code to be sent to device used for booking, not registered no.

Kolkata: After weeks of confusion and failed deliveries, oil marketing companies have resolved a technical flaw in the delivery authentication code (DAC) system and introduced a change, bringing relief to LPG consumers in India. The glitch, primarily linked to non-receipt of the authentication code, left many households unable to receive booked cylinders despite making payments. The new system will send the code to WhatsApp or an email on the device from which a cylinder is booked instead of the earlier system of sending the DAC to the registered mobile number only.

The DAC system requires a one-time code to be shared with delivery personnel at the time of handover. But owing to a design limitation, the code was so far sent only to the registered mobile number, irrespective of the device the cylinder was booked from, leading to problems, especially among those with multiple devices and numbers. "Even if a consumer booked an LPG refill from an app on a device, which had a number other than the registered mobile number, the DAC would still be sent to the registered number," said Bijon Bihari Biswas, spokesperson for LPG dealers. "In case the registered number had turned inactive, unrecharged or inaccessible the consumer would not receive the code."


OMCs have now modified the system to ensure the DAC will now be sent to the device, from which a cylinder is booked, significantly reducing delivery failures.

In the earlier system, the DAC was sometimes not received due to full SMS inboxes or outdated contact details. Distributors say the change will streamline operations and reduce disputes at the doorstep. "Delivery staff had to return with full cylinders as customers could not give DAC," said a distributor. "This not only delayed deliveries but also increased operational costs."

Consumers welcomed the move. "I booked a cylinder on an app on my new phone but the code went to my old number, which I no longer use," said Ananya Guha, a resident of Parnashree. "The delivery person refused to hand over the cylinder without the DAC. Hopefully, this will prevent such situations."

OMCs reiterated that DAC remained a safeguard against misuse. The system aimed at preventing diversion to commercial markets and enhancing transparency, said a distributor.