14,000 consumers in limbo after Nara gas agency suspension; new agencies 10-12 km away

Nagpur: The sudden suspension of a gas agency in Nara has left nearly 14,000 consumers scrambling for LPG refills. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) has reassigned them to two agencies in Gittikhadan and Ramdaspeth, both about 10km away, worsening access issues. Poor awareness of the reassignment has added to the confusion, with residents moving between old and new gas agencies to get refills.Food distribution officer Vinod Kale said the agency had been facing operational issues. "The owner was absent, and the manager was handling operations. Consumers were already facing difficulties. Eventually, staff informed HPCL they could not continue, leading to suspension of the licence," he said, adding that HPCL has been asked to augment supply at the reassigned agencies.Consumer rights activist Nitin Solanki of Grahak Dakshata Kalyan Foundation said the move has triggered chaos. "People are unaware of their new agency, and there is no support system. Irregularities had already affected services earlier," he said. He also flagged supply constraints, warning that the additional load on two agencies could worsen shortages. "If the situation persists, we will launch a protest," he added.Retired railway official Prasenjit Sarkar, who is trying to help locals, said many affected residents lack access to digital booking systems. "A large section is underprivileged and unfamiliar with mobile applications. Even those trying to help are struggling due to the scale of the problem," he said.He added that crowds continue to gather outside the shut agency daily. "After a one-time distribution by the Gittikhadan agency on Thursday, many returned on Friday expecting another supply but had to leave empty-handed," Sarkar said.