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Panic buying fuels artificial LPG crisis in UP, servers slow down
Gas agency operators say the government’s rule permitting fresh LPG bookings only after 25 days of the previous refill has triggered the situation; adequate stocks as of now:Officials
LUCKNOW Amid concerns over the widening conflict in West Asia, fears of an impending cooking gas shortage have triggered a massive wave of panic buying across Uttar Pradesh, leading to an artificial crisis, despite officials claiming adequate stock to meet the demand.
Gas agency operators said the government’s rule permitting fresh LPG bookings only after 25 days of the previous refill has triggered the situation. As a result, thousands of consumers attempted to book cylinders simultaneously, causing company servers to slow down.
Agencies have been flooded with customers seeking refills, creating long queues outside distribution centres. Previously, customers could expect delivery within 48 hours, but the surge in panic bookings has now stretched delivery times to over a week in some areas.
Despite Uttar Pradesh being home to 4.85 crore LPG consumers, authorities insist there is no shortage of stock. However, some petroleum company websites have faced temporary glitches, just because of heavy bookings, fuelling fears among consumers.
“Sufficient quantity of petroleum products is available with oil companies for all consumers of Uttar Pradesh. The supply of petrol, diesel and other petroleum products is completely normal and there is no shortage of any kind,” said Sanjay Bhandari, executive director and state head of Indian Oil Corporation.
Consumers are requested not to panic or stock up unnecessarily. Oil companies are fully committed to ensure availability of fuel and LPG in the state, he added.
The rush at LPG distribution centres is largely driven by panic bookings rather than any shortage of supply, according to the All-India LPG Distributors’ Association.
Jagdish Raj, president of the All-India LPG Distributors’ Association (UP Chapter), said: “I see social media triggering this heavy booking. Earlier, if an agency received around 10 bookings in a day, it is now getting 40 bookings. The sudden spike in refill requests has overwhelmed agencies and created crowds outside distribution centres. The tendency to stock more cylinders at home is resulting in more domestic LPG bookings.”
Another distributor said, “The situation is aggravated because many consumers are rushing directly to the agency to collect cylinders instead of waiting for home delivery. They are not having OTP sent by the company. Without OTP, cylinders cannot be released by the agency.”
ADM (civil supplies) Jyoti Gautam said, “We have checked more than 10 gas distribution agencies on Wednesday, and everywhere, the problem of overbooking due to rumourmongering of LPG shortage was seen. Consumers were turning up to take cylinders without receiving OTP on phone. Such consumers were politely told to wait until they receive OTP. The rest of them were given the cylinders on the spot. Between 35000-40,000 cylinders are distributed in the state capital per day and around a similar number of cylinders were distributed today also.”
Distributors said while supplies remain adequate, the sudden surge in bookings and direct walk-ins has disrupted normal delivery schedules and led to visible queues at several agencies. Authorities and distributors have urged consumers to avoid panic booking and allow the normal distribution system to function smoothly.
The state’s LPG stock is reportedly sufficient for up to five days. However, the growing uncertainty and lack of faith among the public have led to widespread hoarding and delays.
In the face of these disruptions, officials are working to restore normalcy in delivery schedules and assure the public that the LPG supply chain remains intact.
Meanwhile, residents in several parts of Lucknow reported waiting for days despite booking cylinders in advance. Since early morning, consumers have been seen lining up outside gas agencies as concerns over availability spread rapidly through neighbourhoods and social media.
Onkar Nath Tripathi, a resident waiting outside a gas agency, said panic among consumers has worsened the situation. “Many people who booked cylinders several days ago are still waiting. As rumours spread, more people are rushing to agencies, which has led to long queues since morning,” he said.
Authorities are examining the reasons behind the rush and monitoring distribution to prevent hoarding or diversion of stock.
Amid the growing concern, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed district magistrates and police chiefs across UP to take strict action against black marketing of cooking gas and other petroleum products. He has also asked authorities to closely monitor social media and take firm action against individuals spreading rumours or misinformation related to LPG supplies.
Officials said enforcement teams have been activated to check illegal sale of cylinders while efforts are being made to streamline distribution in Lucknow.
