Chandigarh, May 8: A severe shortage of Indane cooking gas has disrupted households across Punjab, with government data revealing that more than 1.18 lakh refill bookings remain pending. Consumers in six major sales areas are currently experiencing wait times ranging from 10 to 30 days, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction and demonstrations at local distributorships.
The Patiala region is reportedly the most affected, with 17,898 delayed bookings, followed closely by Chandigarh and Bathinda. Official records show that in areas such as Bathinda and Ludhiana, over 100 bookings have been stalled for more than a month. While gas dealers attribute the crisis to inconsistent supplies from bottling plants, divisional authorities have pointed toward a surge in consumer behavior.
Anil Mehar, Divisional LPG Sales Head, stated that news regarding potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a wave of panic bookings. He affirmed that the volume of requests has tripled compared to normal periods, as many consumers are seeking refills well before their current cylinders are exhausted.
“The situation is being managed, and we are delivering more than 50,000 cylinders daily,” Mehar asserted while discussing the department’s recovery efforts. He maintained that the implementation of the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system has been instrumental in preventing the black marketing of subsidized gas. Under this protocol, 95 percent of deliveries now require an OTP confirmation from the registered consumer.
To further streamline the distribution network, the company is prioritizing mandatory KYC updates for its user base. Mehar declared that the current backlog is a temporary challenge and affirmed that digital tracking systems are being strengthened to ensure the supply chain returns to its standard 48-hour delivery window.
