Nagpur: After days of chaos triggered by LPG refill booking failures, long queues outside gas agencies and godowns in the city have finally begun to shrink, bringing partial relief to citizens. The three oil marketing companies (OMCs) — Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) — have managed to resolve the technical issues that prevented consumers from booking LPG cylinders online.With booking services gradually restored, consumers are now able to place orders without having to physically visit gas agencies, significantly reducing the crowd that was building up over the past week. For many, this has come as a major relief after days of uncertainty and inconvenience.“I have been trying to book a cylinder for the past one week, but the number of the company was not operational. I finally got it booked on Wednesday and even received OTP. I don’t mind if the cylinder comes a day or two late, but at least it got booked,” said Aditya Kamble, a resident of Hudkeshwar. However, even as the booking issue appears to have been largely resolved, the larger problem of inadequate supply continues to persist. Gas agency owners say the number of cylinders being supplied by the OMCs remains far below demand, leading to a de facto rationing.Speaking to TOI, gas agency owner Pratik Jaiswal said supply of LPG cylinders continues to be limited. “The supply of LPG cylinders is not coming as against the demand. If we order 100 cylinders, we are receiving only 50,” said Jaiswal.Another gas agency owner, Mahendra Gawai, emphasised the same issue, suggesting that companies may be rationing supply due to prevailing constraints. “The other issue we are facing is the announcement of e-KYC by the govt. The govt has made e-KYC mandatory for card holders who have not made any bookings in months. However, common citizens do not understand the language of govt orders. So, many are coming to gas agencies in panic to get their e-KYC done even when it is already done,” said Gawai.The confusion surrounding the e-KYC requirement has further added to the anxiety among consumers. Many residents, unsure of whether their documentation is complete, continue to visit agencies unnecessarily, contributing to intermittent crowding despite the improvement in booking systems.The LPG crisis has affected both commercial and domestic consumers. While the supply of commercial LPG has reportedly come to a complete halt — forcing hotels and restaurants to either switch to alternative fuels or cut down their menus — household consumers were struggling primarily due to booking issues, which have now been partially addressed.Despite the easing of queues, the mismatch between supply and demand, coupled with communication gaps over regulatory requirements, continues to keep citizens on edge, with no immediate resolution in sight.
