Gas Scarcity A Double Whammy For Telangana Consumers

Hyderabad/Hanamkonda: The shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) is turning out to be a double whammy for the people of Telangana. On one side, it is having a drastic impact on the local economy and on the other, the people are paying through their nose to procure cylinders from the black market.

Reports coming from Hyderabad say that the severe shortage of LPG and CNG across the city has hit small businesses and transport workers. The crisis has intensified over the last four days with long queues of auto-rickshaws stretching up to 3 km outside CNG filling stations.

Across the Greater Hyderabad region, including key areas like Madhapur, Himayatnagar, Narayanaguda, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Secunderabad, Padmarao Nagar, Dilsukhnagar and Kothapet, nearly 4,000 small tiffin centres and eateries have shut down within just 15 days. Owners say they cannot sustain operations amid skyrocketing fuel costs. Commercial gas cylinders are reportedly being sold for as high as Rs 5,000 in the black market.

"We cannot run our hotel at these rates. If we increase prices, the customers will stop coming," said a small eatery owner from Himayatnagar. Many operators are learnt to have temporarily shut their businesses and returned to their native places, waiting for the situation to stabilise.

Meanwhile, at all 80-plus CNG stations in the city, auto drivers are spending hours, at times even dozing off inside their vehicles, just to get a few kilograms of gas.

"We waited the whole day for 4 kg of gas. How can we earn like this?" lamented an auto driver. The ripple effect is visible in food prices as several functioning eateries have begun adding a Rs 10 as 'gas surcharge' on breakfast items, while meal prices have increased by Rs 25 to Rs 50.

Despite the authorities maintaining that LPG supplies are adequate, consumers report waiting one to two weeks for domestic cylinder deliveries. In some cases, customers are being asked to collect cylinders directly from the agencies after long delays.

The crisis has also disrupted welfare efforts. Free meal distribution at major hospitals like Gandhi Hospital, Niloufer Hospital and Osmania General Hospital has been suspended due to the lack of cooking gas. Hundreds of attendants and patients' families who rely on these meals are left struggling.

Official data reveals that Greater Hyderabad has 83 CNG stations catering to a daily demand of around 3.2 lakh kilograms. In comparison, petrol consumption stands at 35 lakh litres and diesel at 45 lakh litres across 620 fuel stations.

Meanwhile, a massive LPG cylinder racket is thriving in Hanamkonda district, where consumers bear the brunt of both supply disruptions and blatant profiteering. Black marketeers are selling LPG cylinders at nearly double the official rates, exposing serious lapses in enforcement.

It is learnt that a commercial gas cylinder that costs around Rs 2,166 and a domestic cylinder priced at Rs 984 are being sold at Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. With supplies running dry and deliveries delayed, many consumers are left with no option but to pay the inflated prices.

The situation has worsened for domestic users with delays stretching up to 15 days or more even after booking. Complaints are pouring in from across the city, while there appears to be a little improvement on the ground. Consumers allege that despite repeated representations, neither gas agencies nor officials are responding effectively.

In one instance, a resident of Prashanth Nagar complained that despite having booked a cylinder through a mobile app on March 17, he is yet to get the delivery. He said that despite approaching the agency and the Civil Supplies officials, the matter stands unresolved.

In another case, a resident of Reddy Colony who booked a cylinder on March 5, received a message on March 18 that the cylinder had been delivered even though it never reached him. The consumer said that attempts to contact the agency and customer care went unanswered.

Officials from the Civil Supplies Department have informally acknowledged that at least two gas agencies in the city are operating beyond their permitted connection limits and have become a persistent source of complaints.

Consumers are demanding immediate intervention, stricter monitoring and stringent action against those involved in the illegal trade.