LPG Supply Disruptions Spark Anxiety Across India As West Asia Crisis Deepens
Consumers and restaurant owners say LPG supply disruptions and booking glitches have left kitchens struggling, forcing many to cut menus.
Published : March 12, 2026 at 4:24 PM IST
By Surabhi Gupta
New Delhi: Concerns over cooking gas availability spread across several parts of India on Thursday as consumers reported difficulties in booking LPG refills and restaurants warned of severe operational disruptions due to a shortage of commercial cylinders.
While oil companies maintained that domestic LPG supplies remain stable, technical glitches in booking systems and the prioritisation of household consumers have created widespread confusion and panic among users.
Reports from cities including Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and parts of Bihar suggested that both households and businesses were facing challenges in securing cylinders, with some consumers unable to book refills online, through IVRS or even via messaging services.
Officials from Indian Oil Corp. Limited acknowledged that some technical disruptions had affected cylinder refilling timelines but denied any shortage of domestic LPG supply.
"There has been some technical glitch which we are fixing, but there will be no shortage of domestic cylinders. The stocks we have are already prioritised for domestic users. There has been some change in the duration of refilling cylinders due to the glitch, but that too will be resolved soon," Anurag Shukla. Manager, Marketing at IOCL, told ETV Bharat.
Sorabh Kumar, a native of Uttar Pradesh who works in digital marketing in Delhi, said his gas cylinder ran out late at night and he tried booking a refill through WhatsApp, a method he had been using for several years.
"Usually, the booking option appears within 30 seconds, but this time there was no response at all. I have bought an induction stove because I don’t know when the cylinder will come. If I keep depending on LPG, I might have to stay hungry,” he said.
Similar complaints have emerged from other parts of the country, where consumers are struggling to secure refills amid fears of supply disruptions.
In parts of Bihar, panic among consumers has resulted in long queues outside LPG distributors. Daya Nana Mishra, a shopkeeper from Darbhanga, said many people returned empty-handed after waiting for hours.
“I stood in line for hours to get a cylinder. Out of nearly 20 people waiting, only about nine received cylinders while the rest were turned away due to KYC issues or other reasons. Because of rumours about shortages, many people are queuing up to secure cooking gas. Indian Oil cylinders are still available here, but people are facing a lot of problems getting HPCL cylinders.”
Consumers gathered in large numbers outside Satya Gas Agency in Gardanibagh, Patna, after the office was shut due to a reported LPG shortage. The agency put up a notice saying gas was unavailable, leaving people waiting outside and expressing anger, claiming cylinders were distributed till yesterday, but the office was suddenly closed today.
In some areas, consumers have reported inflated prices in the black market. Hoshang Govil, an MNC employee who lives alone in Noida, said, “I use a small cylinder since I cook only for myself. For the last two or three days, I have been trying to get it refilled, but it has been very difficult. In some places, it is being sold at ₹400 per kg and in others, around ₹250 per kg. It is becoming very expensive to manage cooking at such prices.”
BalaKrishnan, a resident of Kundrathur in Chennai, said he encountered repeated errors while trying to place an order. “When I tried booking through IVRS, the system said there was a technical glitch and the call was disconnected. When I called again, the number was switched off. This has never happened before,” he said.
Restaurants Face Major Operational Crisis
The effect of the disruption caused by the current situation has been particularly damaging to the restaurant and hospitality industries, which depend on commercial LPG cylinders as a primary source of energy for day-to-day operations.
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), which represents approximately 500,000 restaurants across the country, has indicated that if LPG supply disruption continues, a significant number of restaurants will be forced to close.
"The restaurant industry is predominantly dependent on commercial LPG for its operations. Any disruption in supply could lead to catastrophic closures," the association said in a statement.
In Bengaluru, several small eateries have already limited their services to tea and coffee after gas dealers informed them that commercial cylinder refilling had not taken place since March 7. Only around 10–15 per cent of establishments that use piped gas from GAIL (India) Limited have managed to continue operations without disruption.
The Bengaluru Hotels Association earlier warned that if supplies are not restored soon, many restaurants may have to halt operations as most small eateries rely on multiple LPG cylinders every day.
The crisis has also begun affecting restaurants in Mumbai. According to industry bodies, nearly 20 per cent of hotels and restaurants in the city have already shut operations due to the shortage. Associations estimate that the number could rise to 50 per cent if the supply situation does not improve soon.
Small food vendors are facing the most severe impact. Neetu Kumari, a street food seller, said the rising cost and shortage of cylinders have nearly doubled her cooking expenses.
Neetu Kumari, a small food vendor, said, “I am not getting commercial LPG cylinders, so I am cooking using the remaining domestic cylinder to keep my small food stall running. Earlier, making 20 plates of laphing used to cost me about ₹700, but now it costs nearly ₹1,300. The cost has almost doubled. People are even buying cylinders in the black market for ₹3,000–₹4,000. Even domestic LPG is costing around ₹150 per kg.”
Restaurant owners are also being forced to rethink menus and adopt alternative cooking methods. Aman Singh, owner of Moti Mahal Restaurant in Haldwani, said the restaurant has removed several gas-intensive dishes from its menu.
“We have removed Chinese items and other dishes that require more gas. Instead, we are focusing on tandoor items, sandwiches and dishes that require less gas,” he said. Singh added that the restaurant has also started using coal-fired furnaces and induction cooktops as temporary alternatives.
H.N. Verma, owner of Captain Restaurant in Ghaziabad, told ETV Bharat, “I am unable to get commercial LPG cylinders at all. I have gas left only for today. If the supply does not arrive by tomorrow, I will have to shut my restaurant because without gas, I cannot cook or serve food to customers.”
Virendra Singh Bisht, owner of Bikanerwala Sweets, said the establishment currently has commercial LPG stock that will last only three to four more days.
Government Prioritises Domestic Supply
Amid the growing concerns, the government has said domestic LPG supply remains secure and that steps have been taken to ensure uninterrupted cooking gas for households.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas recently ordered refineries and petrochemical plants to maximise LPG production. Officials said domestic production has been increased by about 25 per cent, with priority given to household consumers.
India currently imports nearly 60 per cent of its LPG requirements, and about 90 per cent of those imports typically pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Increased tensions in West Asia have caused global energy prices to become volatile. As a result, precautionary measures are being taken to protect the domestic supply of energy.
A three-member committee comprising executives from Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited has also been formed to review LPG allocations to restaurants and commercial establishments.
Officials said the price of a standard 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder currently stands at around ₹913 in Delhi after a recent ₹60 increase. However, beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana continue to pay ₹613 per cylinder.
To prevent panic buying and hoarding, the gap between bookings has been extended from 21 days to 25 days.
Read More:
