Nagpur: Many domestic LPG consumers are troubled as Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have allegedly started blocking cylinder deliveries and bookings for customers whose e-KYC is pending, even though official deadline for completing the process is August 16. According to distributors, several consumers who have already booked cylinders are unable to receive supplies as the system is not allowing it, while many are not able to make a booking despite the deadline being two weeks away, leading to confrontations between the agency staff and consumers.Consumers have been receiving SMS alerts reading, ‘Dear customer, you are required to do e-KYC for receiving LPG cylinders at domestic rates. You can do e-KYC at your home through APP or at your distributor or through delivery personnel. Failure to do e-KYC by 16.08.26 would make you ineligible for cylinders at domestic rates till e-KYC is completed.’However, LPG dealers alleged the OMCs’ system has already started rejecting bookings of consumers whose e-KYC is incomplete from August 1. They said the advance enforcement has created confusion among customers.“Many consumers are approaching us for cylinders, but we are not able to supply them because of KYC issue. On one hand, OMCs are sending messages saying consumers have time till Aug 16 to complete KYC, but on the other hand, the system is not allowing us to deliver,” said Bablu Tiwari, state president of LPG Dealers Association of India.Meanwhile, dealers said that new LPG connections have already been stopped. The disruption had started from first week of March following West Asia crisis, which had resulted in long queues outside several gas agencies. Sources claimed the shortage has also fuelled black marketing, with a domestic cylinder costing around 964 allegedly being sold for 2,500. Dealers said the earlier black market prices were around 1,200, but recent restrictions have only worsened the situation.
