Kolkata LPG Crisis: Week-Long Delays Defy Government's 2.5-Day Delivery Promise
Contrary to the central government's claim that domestic LPG cylinders are delivered within two-and-a-half days of booking, consumers in Kolkata are now experiencing waits exceeding a full week for refills. An unprecedented spike in bookings combined with severe logistical constraints has pushed the city's distribution system to its breaking point.
Unprecedented Booking Surge Overwhelms System
Dealers report that the gap between booking confirmation and cylinder delivery has widened dramatically to seven or eight days in numerous cases. The current replenishment and delivery infrastructure is simply unable to keep pace with a sudden, massive surge in demand. This critical situation was further exacerbated by the temporary crash of the online booking system, forcing countless consumers to form long queues at distributor offices for manual bookings.
According to officials from major oil marketing companies (OMCs), booking volumes skyrocketed over the past week. On March 5, the average number of LPG bookings within a 48-hour period for Indian Oil Corporation stood at approximately 2.5 lakh, while the combined booking figure for all OMCs was 3.5 lakh. By March 11, these numbers had risen dramatically to a staggering 5.9 lakh for IOC and 7.5 lakh across all companies.
Distribution Network Strained Beyond Capacity
An office-bearer of the Bharat Gas Distributors Association stated that the sudden spike has completely overwhelmed the physical distribution network. "With this unprecedented increase in bookings, it is extremely difficult to deliver that many cylinders with the existing infrastructure and manpower. It will take some time to bridge the gap between booking confirmation and actual delivery," the distributor explained.
On Friday, numerous LPG dealerships across Kolkata witnessed exceptionally long queues as consumers arrived for manual bookings. This followed OMCs temporarily allowing the manual facility in response to the online system failure. At several outlets, more than 100 customers waited for hours just to register their refill requests.
Dealers Struggle with Manual Bookings and Rules
Asim Som, vice-president of the Indane LPG Distributors' Association and a distributor on Marquis Street, reported that around 150 people had queued at his office since morning. "We could manually book about 100 cylinders today. People are desperately asking for immediate delivery, but we are strictly prioritising customers who booked earlier," Som stated.
He added that dealers had been instructed to strictly maintain the 25-day gap rule between two bookings. This regulation has further complicated matters during the ongoing Ramzan season, when LPG consumption traditionally rises in many households across the city.
Residents Anxious with Eid Approaching
The extensive delays have left numerous residents deeply anxious, especially with the important festival of Eid-al-Fitr rapidly approaching. Karim Nawaz from Collins Street shared his frustration, saying he had been trying to book a cylinder for an entire week without success. "Today I finally managed to book it manually, but the dealer could not provide any estimate for when it would be delivered. How are we supposed to celebrate Eid without cooking gas?" he asked.
Soma Sarkar of Tollygunge faces a similar predicament. "I was informed there is only a faint chance of receiving the cylinder this month. My existing cylinder may run out at any moment, and I am not accustomed to cooking on an induction stove," she explained.
Residents like Md Sajjul from Pemantle Street highlighted that the situation is particularly difficult for large families. "We have nine members in our household, and gas is absolutely essential, especially during the holy month of Ramzan. Our cylinder has already run out completely," he said.
Dealers have indicated that delivery timelines may gradually improve once booking volumes stabilise and the persistent system glitches are fully resolved. However, for now, Kolkata's LPG consumers continue to endure significant hardship and uncertainty.
