Ludhiana: For 90-year-old residents, getting a kitchen cylinder delivered has become a marathon of administrative hurdles. With agencies “switching off” and supply lines thinning, the city’s seniors are being left in the cold by a distribution system that has effectively seized up.A growing shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuelled by Middle East supply disruptions has forced nonagenarians and retirees forced to navigate a collapsing digital booking system and shuttered agency phone lines. Despite govt assurances that stocks remain stable, residents report a starkly different reality on the ground: a week-long struggle for a single cylinder, administrative hurdles, and “panic booking” that has pushed the local distribution network to its breaking point.A Digital Dead EndFor Ludhiana’s senior citizens, the transition to mandatory online booking has become a barrier rather than a convenience. Eminent agricultural economist Sardara Singh Johal, a nonagenarian residing in Gurdev Nagar, took to social media to highlight the disconnect between official rhetoric and the consumer experience. “The deputy commissioner of Ludhiana says there is no shortage,” Johal wrote. “But the LPG dealer has switched off the agency telephone. What are consumers to do?”The ‘Harassment’The crisis is being compounded by a sudden requirement for updated know your customer (KYC) documentation, forcing elderly residents to make multiple trips to overcrowded, ill-equipped agency offices.Brij Bhushan Goyal, 74, spent four days attempting to use a failing online portal before visiting a local agency twice. “It is harassment for customers, especially the elderly and women,” Goyal said, noting that many agencies operate out of small rooms with no seating or basic amenities for waiting seniors.Vijay Mohan is 78. Despite having completed his KYC years ago, he was told his records needed a second update. After two days of administrative hurdles and four days of failed phone calls, he finally managed a booking. “In normal circumstances, I would book in seconds and get the cylinder the next day. The crisis has changed everything.”Panic and PendencyLocal distributors admit they are overwhelmed. An LPG agency owner, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that supply remained limited while demand had spiked. “Pendency continues to grow,” the owner said. “We are receiving limited stock, but people are indulging in panic booking because they are afraid the supply will dry up completely.”The bottleneck is worsened by crowds of customers rushing to register contact numbers or update Aadhaar card details — a requirement that many residents feel is being poorly timed during a supply crunch.
