Patna: The backlog in LPG cylinder deliveries has crossed four days on average across Bihar in April, officials said, attributing the delay largely to a sharp rise in bookings.Sources said many consumers were resorting to panic booking despite already having cylinders at home. The ease of booking has also led to a rise in the number of refill requests, contributing to the delay in supply.According to the latest data for April 1, the average daily demand for cylinders in Bihar stood at 4,42,348, while the supply was 3,65,432 cylinders. Of these, 2,65,869 cylinders were delivered to households, resulting in an average backlog of 4.4 days. At the end of March, the backlog was around four days. More than 16 lakh refill bookings are currently pending delivery across the state.West Champaran and Raxaul recorded the highest backlog on April 1 at 6.2 days, while Patna district reported a backlog of 4.5 days.In Patna district, the demand on April 1 stood at 43,878 cylinders, while 36,969 refills were supplied and 28,030 cylinders were delivered to households. Nearly 1.67 lakh cylinders remained pending for delivery till April 1.When asked about the backlog crossing six days in some districts, an official said many delivery personnel and staff involved in distribution were on leave due to a festival, which contributed to the delay. “However, there was no shortage in the godown,” he added.Upendra Kumar, special secretary in the food and consumer protection department and the nodal officer for LPG supply in the state, said panic booking was one of the key reasons behind the backlog.“Even educated people were involved in panic booking. People are thinking that they should have two to three filled cylinders at home. It has become like a status symbol. Though we have made it clear there was no shortage and supply will be given without any obstacle,” he said.He added that cylinders were being delivered within 25 days of booking in both urban and rural areas and advised people not to fall prey to rumours.
