Chandigarh tricity admns tighten watch on LPG supply amid panic bookings

Amid sharp surge in LPG bookings in recent days, authorities in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula have assured that there is no shortage of domestic LPG, petrol or diesel

Amid rising concerns over potential disruptions in global energy supplies due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, administrations across the tricity have stepped up monitoring of LPG distribution and warned against hoarding.

residents who have made alterations will have to submit applications and pay the prescribed fee to regularise the changes. (ANI)

Taking note of the sharp surge in LPG bookings in recent days, officials in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula have assured that there is no shortage of domestic LPG, petrol or diesel, and urged residents to avoid panic buying or stockpiling so that supplies remain stable for all consumers.

LPG bookings across the tricity have nearly doubled in recent days, largely due to panic buying. The surge in demand has also placed pressure on online booking systems, with many consumers reporting delays.

While officials maintain that the supply of domestic cylinders remains stable, the commercial LPG supply chain is reportedly experiencing a temporary inventory gap, leaving restaurant and eatery owners on tenterhooks.

A committee of three executive directors from the three major oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation — has been constituted at the central level to monitor and ensure the regular supply of commercial LPG cylinders across the country.

Chandigarh DC gets cracking

In Chandigarh, deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav convened a meeting with officials of oil marketing companies and other stakeholders to review LPG availability and discuss preventive steps against hoarding.

To ensure orderly distribution and prevent any untoward incident, he ordered the deployment of police personnel at gas agencies starting Thursday. Teams under the district food and supply officers have also been constituted to conduct inspections and assess real-time stock positions across the city.

Representatives of oil marketing companies informed the administration that, as a precautionary measure, gas agencies had temporarily stopped accepting fresh bookings within 30 days of the previous booking for consumers holding double LPG connections. The step, they said, was intended to prevent panic-driven stockpiling and ensure equitable distribution.

Traders and wholesalers were also directed to maintain transparency in declaring stocks, supply chains and pricing of essential commodities to ensure protection of consumer interests. Stakeholders were directed to strictly adhere to anti-hoarding regulations and extend full cooperation to the administration in ensuring fair trade practices. Authorities have also stepped up coordinated market inspections for real-time monitoring of stock levels and prompt action in case of abnormal price rises or supply disruptions.

Mohali DC rules out shortage

In Mohali, deputy commissioner Komal Mittal reviewed the availability of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG cylinders during a video conference with officials of oil marketing companies, petrol pump dealer associations and LPG distributors.

Officials informed the administration that adequate stocks were available and supplies through LPG outlets and petrol pumps were continuing normally across the district.

Mittal urged residents not to pay attention to rumours regarding shortages, and advised consumers to book LPG cylinders and purchase fuel only according to their normal requirements. She also asked citizens to report cases of illegal stocking or black marketing so that action can be taken promptly.

During the meeting, officials said the supply of commercial LPG cylinders had been restricted in accordance with government directions, though exemptions had been allowed for essential services such as educational institutions and medical facilities.

Consumers rush to agencies in Panchkula

In Panchkula, many consumers were seen gathering at gas agencies on Wednesday after online booking systems struggled to cope with the sudden surge in requests.

Residents reported difficulties booking cylinders through mobile apps and websites for the past few days. Staff at Indane and HP Gas agencies said servers were experiencing technical glitches due to unusually high booking volumes.

Jatin Mittal, district food, civil supplies and consumer affairs controller, clarified that the district had adequate LPG stocks and said the delays were largely due to a standard 21 to 25-day locking period between refills rather than any supply disruption.

He urged residents not to panic over social media rumours and advised them to rely only on official information.

Restaurants in a pickle

While officials insist that domestic LPG supply remains stable, restaurant owners across the tricity say they are struggling to procure commercial cylinders.

Industry sources claim that commercial LPG cylinders have not been supplied for the past four days, creating anxiety among restaurants, cafes and street food vendors who rely heavily on daily cylinder deliveries.

While some are coping by sourcing cylinders at higher rates from multiple suppliers and absorbing the rising costs instead of passing them on to customers, others have been forced to trim menu offerings.

Harkirat Singh, who runs Katani Dhaba in Phase 3B2, Mohali, said he spent two to three days searching for a cylinder but returned empty-handed each time. “We checked everywhere. Not one cylinder — not even at black market rates,” he said. When he eventually managed to arrange one, the supplier charged him ₹2,500, compared to the usual ₹1,800-1,900.

Citing thin margins, he said some items had been temporarily removed from the menu while gas supplies run low.

Ankush Hekoma, president of the Patel Market Association in Sector 15, Chandigarh, also reported a sharp rise in LPG prices within days. “It started at ₹1,500, then went to ₹1,700, and now people are paying nearly ₹2,000,” he said, adding that several vendors have begun using induction cooking systems to keep operations running.

In Panchkula too, restaurant and dhaba operators said they would have to suspend operations if supplies do not stabilise soon.

Parkash Pun from Singh Sons, a bakery and fast food outlet in Sector 7, said businesses were trying to absorb rising costs for now, but may struggle to continue if the situation persisted.

Sunny Kumar of Kabul Express, a dhaba in Sector 12, said induction stoves cannot replace gas for many cooking requirements.