Middle East conflict: Hospitals, educational institutes on priority list as LPG curbs hit Pune supplies

PUNE: Commercial liquified petroleum gas (LPG) supplies across Pune have been severely curtailed since Monday after Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) asked distributors to prioritise cylinders for hospitals and educational institutes, leaving restaurants, hotels and other commercial users uncertain about further deliveries.

Distributors said stocks are already running low and the impact is expected to become visible over the next few days. An LPG distributor told TOI that agencies were asked to submit details of specific institutional customers before supplies could be released.

"They asked for a list of educational institutes as well as hospitals. We have to submit proof that the customer is registered. Only that inventory will be sent, and we have to give an undertaking that the cylinder will be supplied only to that hospital or institute," he said.




The distributor added that the last dispatch of commercial cylinders took place two days ago and no fresh supplies have reached them since the internal order was issued. "The last dispatch for commercial cylinders was on Saturday. Whatever vehicles were filled on Monday were also not dispatched after the order was issued. The stock we had has got exhausted. Across Pune, some distributors may have a little stock left, but it will not last beyond a day," he said.

Distributors said they have begun rationing cylinders and are supplying them only to regular registered customers in essential categories. "We are not giving cylinders to anyone randomly. We are giving only to needy and regular registered customers," the same distributor said.

Hotel operators have also begun contacting distributors as they fear disruptions to kitchen operations. "All five-star and three-star hotels and malls with food outlets will be affected if the supply does not resume. Most are calling because they have guests staying with them and need gas for daily operations," the distributor said.

The Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas also posted on X: "In light of current geopolitical disruptions to fuel supply and constraints on supply of LPG, the ministry hasissued orders to oil refineries for higher LPG production and using such extra production for domestic LPG use."

The ministry said domestic LPG supply has been prioritised for households and a 25-day gap between bookings has been enforced to prevent hoarding and black marketing of cylinders. It clearly said that non-domestic supplies from imported LPG is being prioritised to essential non-domestic sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.

"For LPG supply to other non-domestic sectors, a committee of three EDs of OMCs have been constituted to review the representations for LPG supply to restaurants/hotels/other industries," it added.

Pravin Khandalkar, a city-based LPG distributor, said that with the enforcement of a 25-day gap between bookings, domestic customers who had already crossed this duration began panic-booking cylinders on Tuesday.

"I went to book a gas cylinder for my house on Tuesday and there was a rush at the agency. They booked the cylinder for me, but told me that while the delivery is usually done within two to three days, it is at present taking at least a week to have the cylinder delivered," said Anub George, a resident of Bopodi.

"I asked when I could book the second cylinder, since we all have two, and I was told you can book your second order only after 25 days have lapsed from your previous booking. The agency said that this restriction has been issued from the main office," George added.

According to the agency staff, they have been getting a lot of calls from customers who are trying to book cylinders in a panic. "Our drivers too have been getting a lot of calls throughout the day from customers hoping to get the delivery sooner rather than later. There are only so many deliveries we can do in a day," a staff member said.