Oil companies informally halt new LPG connections, second cylinders amid ongoing shortage

Pune: Oil marketing companies (OMCs) have informally frozen the issuance of new LPG connections and second cylinders to existing consumers amid the ongoing supply crisis, leaving hundreds of applicants in a limbo, a city-based distributor said."Since the crisis started, OMCs have stopped new connections and are also not issuing second cylinders. Both these are on hold," the distributor said, adding that no written communication on this has been shared with agencies so far. According to him, the instructions have been conveyed only verbally. "There is nothing in writing. We have been instructed verbally not to issue any new connection or second cylinder," he said.The move has led to a growing backlog of applications. The distributor said his agency alone has a waiting list of nearly 600 customers. "I have a confirmed, online-registered waiting list of about 290. Offline, I have around 300-400 applications. In total, the waiting list at my agency is close to 600," he said.He added that while the online system continues to accept applications, agencies are unable to process them due to the informal halt. "The system is accepting applications, but we have been told not to issue connections," he said.Distributors said the situation has created confusion among consumers, many of whom continue to approach agencies expecting new connections or additional cylinders, unaware of the restrictions.Kharadi resident Ananya Ahuja said, "Two agencies I approached said that OMCs are not issuing new connections. I recently shifted to Pune and my family needs a cylinder urgently. There's no clarity about when this situation will resolve, as per the agencies."Ajinkya Pujari, a Keshavnagar resident, said, "I need a new gas connection, but all agencies I visited said they are not processing any new applications right now. This has become a major issue for us at our new home, which doesn't have a piped gas connection."Another LPG distributor in the city also said new domestic connections have effectively been put on hold across multiple agencies. "New LPG connections have been stopped across the city. People come to us every day, but we are not able to issue them. This has been happening for around 15-20 days," he said, adding that even documentation cannot be processed without system-generated paperwork."If the system does not generate the required documents, how can we issue a connection?" he asked, requesting anonymity.Several consumers have also taken to social media to flag the issue. One user from Punawale posted on X that multiple distributors in the area had told them new connections were temporarily stopped and sought clarity on whether this was an official directive and when services would resume.In another post, a resident from Phursungi tagged officials of oil companies, stating that new domestic LPG connections were not being entertained in the area and requested intervention to help a colleague secure a connection.The issue has ripples across state borders. Noida-based Pushkar Pushp told TOI that he has been unable to secure a new connection despite repeated visits to distributors after relocating. "I went there three or four times in the last ten days, and they told me they are not issuing new connections," he said. He added that multiple agencies conveyed the same message."Another agency also told me they are not providing new connections and asked me to come after April 20 for an update," he said. Pushp, who recently moved from Ghaziabad to Greater Noida with his family, said the delay has left him without a basic cooking fuel connection. "I have shifted with my family, so a gas connection is essential," he said.