On March 9, the tenth day of the Iran war as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel, long queues at LPG (cooking gas) agencies across India sparked panic buying and prompted the Centre to announce measures to protect household supplies. The government raised the minimum interval between cylinder bookings from 15 days to 25 days and ordered refiners to prioritise propane and butane for LPG production to ensure uninterrupted domestic supply.
Social media videos showed crowds outside agencies in several towns, including long lines at a Bharat Gas outlet in Noida’s Sector 22 and a viral clip from Birdpur village in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, where hundreds sat beside empty cylinders. One resident told India Today: “There is a war going on in Iran. I had booked my LPG refill five days ago, but it had still not been delivered at home.”
The squeeze has been felt beyond households. The Pune Municipal Corporation temporarily closed its gas crematoriums, though electric and authorised wood-fired facilities continued to operate. Restaurant associations in Maharashtra and Karnataka reported commercial LPG supplies had largely stopped since Sunday; Vijay Shetty, president of the India Hotels and Restaurant Association, warned restaurants in Mumbai could be forced to shut within two days if supplies did not stabilise and said the association had written to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The Bangalore Hotels Association also appealed to the Centre, saying hoteliers risked serious livelihood losses.
Cylinder prices were raised last weekend, with domestic LPG up by Rs 60 and commercial cylinders by Rs 115. A 14.2 kg domestic cylinder is now priced at Rs 913 in Delhi (from Rs 853) and Rs 912.50 in Mumbai (from Rs 852.50). The previous change in LPG pricing was in April last year.
The Centre maintains there is no shortage. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri posted on X that “our priority is to ensure availability of affordable and sustainable fuel for our citizens, and we are doing it comfortably. There is no shortage of energy in India and there is no cause of worry for our energy consumers.” Government sources told media on March 3 that strategic LPG stocks and refinery output could cover about 25–30 days of demand, and that imports and deliveries from global suppliers — including ADNOC and Algeria’s Sonatrach, along with shipments from Australia, Canada and the US — were being secured.
On March 6 the Centre invoked the Essential Commodities Act, directing refiners and oil marketing companies not to divert propane and butane streams to petrochemical manufacture and to use them for LPG. Officials described the booking rule and production directives as pre-emptive steps; a government source told CNBCTV-18, “If push comes to a shove, we will take other measures.”
The situation remains fluid: visible shortages at local outlets and disrupted commercial supplies have triggered concern, while central authorities say national stocks and stepped-up refinery output will prevent a systemic LPG crisis.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/india-lpg-gas-cylinders-shortage-iran-war-government-rules-13987856.html
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Publish Date: 2026-03-10 09:34:00
