LPG delivery delays stretch to 9 days in Patna despite lower backlog claims by oil firms

LPG consumers in Patna face delivery delays of up to nine days, conflicting with claims of shorter backlogs by oil companies amid worker strikes.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumers in Patna are facing delivery delays of up to nine days, significantly higher than the backlog figures claimed by oil marketing companies (OMCs), officials and customers said.

People queue up to refill their LPG cylinders at Digha in Patna (HT FILE)

One of the city’s Indane distributors, Akhand Jyoti, reported a nine-day backlog, with LPG refills booked on April 10 being delivered only on Sunday. This contrasts with claims by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) that the average backlog stands at 4.15 days in Patna and 4.8 days across Bihar.

Consumers also highlighted inconsistencies in delivery communication. Several said they received delivery activation codes (DACs) on their registered mobile numbers, followed by SMS alerts indicating further delays.

Saurabh Kumar, a customer of Akhand Jyoti, said he received his refill nine days after booking it on April 10. “I got the DAC on April 17, but soon after, an SMS informed me of an additional four-day delay,” he said.

Another consumer, R Kumar, reported a similar experience. “I received the cylinder after nine days and also got a message about a further delay after receiving the DAC. Attempts to contact the distributor failed,” he said, adding that he has escalated the matter to senior IOCL officials.

At Safeway Gas Agency, another Indane distributor, a customer reported receiving two DAC numbers for a single booking. LPG refills will only be delivered with a DAC, as per the latest government order.

Raman Kumar, a resident of Boring Canal Road, said he received two DACs (830429 on April 4 and 207772 on April 6) – after booking his LPG refill on April 3. “I contacted the distributor after the first DAC yielded no delivery. A second DAC was issued, and the refill was delivered on April 7,” he said.

A section of LPG delivery personnel attributed the delays to a recent strike over low wages. Delivery workers said they had temporarily halted operations, leading to a buildup of pending orders.

“We were getting ₹11 per cylinder earlier, which has now been increased to ₹15 after the strike. Even now, the wages remain low,” said a delivery worker on condition of anonymity, adding that the strike ended last Saturday.

According to IOCL officials, distributors receive a delivery commission of ₹73.08 per cylinder, from which payments to delivery personnel are managed. “The remuneration of delivery boys is decided by the distributors from the commission we provide,” a senior IOCL officer said.