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Lucknow: Supplies get better, last-mile delivery yet to go full steam
The gap between supply reaching distributors and cylinders actually reaching kitchens has triggered anxiety among consumers, leading to long queues, crowding outside agencies and occasional protests. On Saturday, several consumers who had already booked cylinders gathered outside LPG agencies early in the morning, hoping to secure refills directly from delivery vehicles instead of waiting for home delivery.
Even as the supply of domestic LPG cylinders from bottling plants to city distributors nears normal levels, the final step in the distribution chain — last-mile delivery to households — continues to remain under strain in Lucknow. The gap between supply reaching distributors and cylinders actually reaching kitchens has triggered anxiety among consumers, leading to long queues, crowding outside agencies and occasional protests.
On Saturday, several consumers who had already booked cylinders gathered outside LPG agencies early in the morning, hoping to secure refills directly from delivery vehicles instead of waiting for home delivery.
Outside a gas agency in the Vikas Nagar area, a man lay down on the road in front of a reversing LPG delivery truck, insisting he would not move until he was given a cylinder. The unusual protest briefly halted the vehicle before agency staff intervened and restored order.
Officials say such incidents highlight the widening gap between supply at the distributor level and delivery to consumers. While bottling plants have increased dispatches and agencies report adequate stock in their godowns, the delivery of cylinders to individual households remains slow in many areas. On Saturday, around 42,000 cylinders were distributed by various agencies.
Across Lucknow, residents were seen lining up outside agencies in localities such as Kapoorthala, Indira Nagar, Alambagh, Chowk, Gomti Nagar and near Husadiya Crossing.
Many consumers said they had booked refills days earlier but had not yet received delivery.
“Even after booking, the cylinder is not reaching our home on time. We cannot wait indefinitely because cooking work stops at home,” said a resident waiting outside an agency in Indira Nagar.
The disruption has also begun affecting small businesses. In several neighbourhoods, tea stalls, snack vendors and fast-food outlets reported partial closures after running out of cooking gas while waiting for refills.
Officials, however, maintain that supply at the broader level remains adequate. According to the food and civil supplies department, LPG distribution across Uttar Pradesh is carried out through 4,108 authorised distributors, and agencies currently have sufficient stock.
But officials acknowledge that the key challenge lies in transporting cylinders from agency godowns to thousands of homes across the city.
Industry officials said the surge in bookings has further complicated the process, with panic among consumers prompting repeated booking attempts that put pressure on digital booking systems of oil marketing companies.
Executive director and state head of Indian Oil Corporation, Sanjay Bhandari, acknowledged the strain on the last-mile distribution network.
“In order to streamline last-mile supply, the central government has amended rules governing the supply and distribution of domestic LPG,” Bhandari said.
The amendment bars households that already have a piped natural gas (PNG) connection from retaining or refilling LPG cylinders. Officials believe this will help redirect cylinders to households that rely solely on LPG for cooking.
The notification was issued through SO 1333(E) under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, amending the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000. The rules came into force from the date of their publication in the official gazette.
Under the amended provisions, consumers who already have a PNG connection will not be allowed to retain a domestic LPG connection or obtain cylinder refills from government oil companies or their distributors. They will be required to surrender their LPG connections immediately.
Authorities said monitoring teams are tracking cylinder movement to ensure fair distribution.
Additional district magistrate (civil supplies) Jyoti Gautam said enforcement teams are conducting regular inspections.
“Our teams are in the field from morning till evening checking opening and closing stocks at agencies. Around 50% of cylinders are being distributed directly at agencies, while the rest are delivered by delivery personnel,” she said.
Distributor associations say delivery workers are under immense pressure amid the surge in demand.
Jagdish Raj, president of the Uttar Pradesh chapter of the All India LPG Distributors Federation, said delivery personnel have been working under stressful conditions to maintain supplies.
“Yes, last-mile delivery remains a problem in many places, but during these stressful times the delivery boys have done a tremendous job,” he said.
“At several points where supply was under pressure, they stepped up and delivered cylinders despite limited resources.”
Raj added that agency staff have also been working under intense pressure as crowds gather to demand immediate refills.
“At some places there were heated exchanges between consumers and staff, but overall the situation remained under control,” he said.
Authorities and oil companies are now exploring ways to bridge the gap between supply and delivery, including improving logistics, deploying additional vehicles and coordinating with local administration to manage crowds at agency outlets.
